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CHARLESTON, S.C. – After finishing nonconference play above .500 (7-6) for the first time since 2007-08, The Citadel basketball team launches its Southern Conference season vs. preseason league favorite Chattanooga at 1 p.m. Saturday at McAlister Field House. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and air on Sports Radio 1450 AM.
 
The Bulldogs are 19-24 overall when opening league play at home, including a 4-5 mark since 2000-01. In its first home game since a Dec. 8 victory over Voorhees, The Citadel will look to improve upon its 3-1 record at McAlister.
 
With 13 games under his belt at the helm of The Citadel, Duggar Baucom is on pace to lead the nation in scoring for the seventh time in his past nine seasons as a head coach. The Bulldogs are piling up a Division I-best 93.1 points per game heading into conference play.
 
Saturday's game will celebrate Spike the Bulldog's birthday and members of Spike's KIDet Club will receive free admission with the purchase of a discounted adult ticket in sections 19 or 20. A party will take place pregame at 12:30 p.m. on the second floor with games, prizes, food and more. To sign up for the KIDet club, click here.
 
Following the home conference opener, The Citadel travels to Samford on Jan. 5 for its 10th game away from McAlister to begin the season. The Bulldogs then host three home games in eight days against Mercer, Wofford and Furman.

For more information on The Citadel basketball, follow @CitadelHoops or visit CitadelSports.com.
 
TOP NOTES
• The Citadel was one of just four SoCon teams to finish the nonconference slate with a winning record.
• Both Quinton Marshall (10) and Derrick Henry (13) have scored in double figures in at least 10 consecutive games.
• Through 13 games, The Citadel has already racked up 1,210 points. With at least 19 games remaining, the Bulldogs are on pace to finish with almost 3,000 points, which would shatter the school record for points in a season by more than 700 points.
• Senior point guard P.J. Boutte  is averaging 6.5 assists per game, which leads the Southern Conference. He ranks 14th among all Division I players and has racked up at least nine assists in six different games this season.
• Boutte has 84 assists through 13 games this season, which is already the most in any season during his career. He needs 96 more to break the school record for assists in a season. He's assisting on an estimated 38 percent of The Citadel's field goals as a team.
• Boutte has been the most dynamic passer in the SoCon this year. Seven of the top eight single-game assist performances have been recorded by a Citadel player. Boutte is responsible for six of them:
            1.) 11 P.J. Boutte, CIT vs. Mid.-Atl. Christian Nov. 19
            2.) 11 P.J. Boutte, CIT at Air Force Dec. 2
            3.) 10 P.J. Boutte, CIT vs. Stetson Nov. 17
            4.) 10 P.J. Boutte, CIT vs. Georgia Southern Nov. 25
            5.) 9 Tim Broom, CIT vs. Mid.-Atl. Christian Nov. 19
            6.) 9 Greg Pryor, UTC vs. Kennesaw State Dec. 18
            7.) 9 P.J. Boutte, CIT at USC Upstate Nov. 28
            8.) 9 P.J. Boutte, CIT at Bethune-Cookman Dec. 16
• The Citadel's frenetic pace, predicated on constant pressure defense and aggressive, attacking offense, is making its mark across the nation. The Bulldogs lead Division I in scoring offense with 93.1 points per game. The Citadel also ranks in the top 10 in the nation in steals per game, three-pointers per game and total turnovers forced.
• Additionally, the Bulldogs sit atop the Southern Conference in several statistical categories, including points per game, total assists (245), assists per game (18.8), total steals (131), steals per game (10.1), turnover margin (+3.7), total field goals made (428) and three-pointers per game (11.8).
• The Citadel has won the turnover battle in 10 of its first 13 games, forcing a league-high 19 turnovers per game.
• Almost three years removed from a brutal ACL tear, Henry is putting together his best season yet, averaging a team-high 19.2 points per game.
• When Henry has scored 18 points or more, the Bulldogs are 5-2.
• Henry is the only player in the Southern Conference with multiple 30-point performances.
• He's averaging 24 points per game over the last three games and 18.5 points per game at home. He leads the SoCon in total points scored (249).
• Henry and Brian White have taken 123 of the team's 270 free throw attempts and are shooting a combined 84.6 percent from the line.