A new era of Samford Basketball began in the Boutwell Auditorium. Led by head coach Lennie Acuff, they battled Alabama A&M in a Monday night thriller on Oct. 13.
The game was the first of a three-game series held in downtown Birmingham, respectively titled “Ballin in Boutwell”. Other participating teams in the series included Auburn, Alabama, Florida State and Oklahoma State.
“For Samford, it was a very good experience for us to be able to compete on the same floor and be able to be in the same environment as the SEC schools,” sophomore guard Zion Wilburn said.
This is the second year this event has been put on.
Presented by Hibbett and Nike, the game was full of promotional activities for both fans and players to take advantage of.
President Chief Executive Officer of Hibbett Jared Briskin said, “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 80th anniversary of calling Birmingham home than growing this event and celebrating basketball in our city alongside Nike.”
The fans were treated to custom posters, Boutwell-branded basketballs and collectible towels that were placed in every seat. Nike provided a custom shoe designing station where fans could choose their own colors and design of their desired shoe.
The sponsorship items weren’t limited to the fans, though. All the players were provided with a tote bag with slides, jackets, hoodies and free shoes that were worn during the matchup.
“Us players really didn’t know that was going to happen,” Wilburn said. “It’s almost an early Christmas gift.” Wilburn said.
Willburn is one of the few returning players from the 2024-2025 season. “I’m from California, so this is a bit different for me,” he said. “I’m still early into college but to be able to get all these different experiences, it was a really good event.”
The high-energy game was filled with impressive passing skills, explosive plays, and slam dunks. During the game, starter Dajion Humphrey fell and tore his Achilles tendon. Although it was an emotional moment, the team rallied to make up an 8-point deficit but ultimately fell 74-73.
In the post game press conference, Head Coach Lennie Acuff said, “My goal for the game was to get a better idea of how the team would play together.”
“We never gave up, even though we trailed the majority of the game,” Wilburn said. “We still never back down and always try to stay consistent, and at the end of the day, it just comes down to how we execute.”
Samford’s first game will be on Nov. 3 in Tulane. Following that game, they will return to the Pete Hanna Center on Nov. 7 for their home opener as they face off against South Carolina State.
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