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CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel (7-8, 0-2) returns to McAlister Field House on Saturday to begin a three-game homestand. The Bulldogs host Mercer (11-4, 1-1) at 1 p.m. on ESPN3 and Sports Radio 1450 AM.
The Citadel is coming off a tough road loss to a hot-shooting Samford squad on Tuesday night. Despite a strong second-half comeback attempt that got the Bulldogs within 10 with less than 12 minutes remaining, The Citadel could not overcome a significant early deficit.
Head coach
Duggar Baucom's high-flying offense seeks to snap a four-game losing skid with its first Southern Conference victory of the season. The Citadel is still the only Division I program averaging more than 90 points per game (90.8) and the Bulldogs have scored 70 points or more in all 15 games during the 2015-16 campaign.
The Bulldogs will go toe-to-toe with the SoCon's best scoring defense in Mercer on Saturday. The Bears are holding opponents to just 63.1 points per game, setting up the ultimate clash of styles at McAlister. Mercer has won the last eight games in the all-time series between the two programs.
After Saturday's contest, The Citadel hosts two in-state foes next week as the Bulldogs face Wofford on Jan. 14 and Furman on Jan. 16. For more information on The Citadel basketball, follow
@CitadelHoops.
NOTES• Junior
Brian White's career field goal percentage (.540) ranks sixth all-time at The Citadel (minimum 150 FG attempts). White's career FT percentage (81.4) ranks seventh all-time behind two former Bulldog coaches, Ed Conroy (81.5) and Randy Nesbit (82.5).
• Through 15 games, The Citadel has already racked up 1,362 points. With at least 17 games remaining, the Bulldogs are on pace to finish with almost 2,906 points, which would shatter the school record (2,247) for points in a season by 659 points.
•
Derrick Henry is the only player in the Southern Conference with multiple 30-point performances and he's one of just 15 players in The Citadel history to have at least two total 30-point games.
• Henry ranks second in the conference in scoring despite not ranking in the top ten in the league in minutes played per contest. He leads the Southern Conference in total points scored with 271.
• Junior
Warren Sledge is having a breakout year as The Citadel's most reliable all-around weapon. Sledge is the only player on the team that has played more than 400 minutes (424) and he's logged 30 or more minutes in a game seven times this season.
• He's been efficient in his time on the floor. His career 2.03 assist-to-turnover ratio currently ranks second all-time in school history.
• Sledge has made a team-best 37 treys, shooting a team-high 41.6 percent from deep.
• The Bulldogs sit atop the Southern Conference in several statistical categories, including points per game, total assists (275), assists per game (18.3), total steals (154), steals per game (10.3), turnover margin (+3.4), total field goals made (475) and three-pointers per game (11.8).
• The Citadel's pressure defense is also turning up the heat, forcing a league-high 19.1 turnovers per game.
