Preview: Samford Bulldogs at Chattanooga Mocs

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — Two Southern Conference men’s basketball teams heading in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the Samford Bulldogs visit the Chattanooga Mocs at McKenzie Arena.

Samford (9-7) enters on an upswing, having won three of its last four games, including an 82-77 victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday. The Bulldogs’ offense is powered by guard Jadin Booth, who is averaging 23.8 points over his last four contests. He poured in 31 points in the win over Western Carolina.

Chattanooga (6-10) looks to halt a four-game skid, most recently a 78-67 home loss to Furman on Wednesday. The Mocs have struggled defensively during the streak, allowing an average of 78.3 points per game. Guard Jordan Frison provides a scoring spark for Chattanooga, averaging 18.2 points over his last six outings, including a 25-point performance against Furman.

The Bulldogs hold the edge in the early conference standings and have shown more consistency in recent weeks. Their balanced attack against Western Carolina, which saw Keaton Norris add 13 points and Will Shaver 11, will test a Chattanooga defense seeking stability.

For the Mocs, reversing their fortunes will likely require more support for Frison. Teddy Washington (15 points) and Jikari Johnson (10 points) provided secondary scoring against Furman, but sustaining that against Samford’s momentum will be a challenge.

This matchup is the first of a regular-season home-and-home series between the schools, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 24 in Birmingham.

Saturday’s game tips off at approximately 2 p.m. Eastern as both teams continue their pursuit of positioning in the Southern Conference race. Samford aims to solidify a winning record, while Chattanooga desperately seeks a reset to its conference campaign.