It has been a rare occasion Austin Peay men's basketball team has opened at home, at least under head coach Dave Loos.

In fact, Friday's 7 p.m., season opener against Samford in Dave Aaron Arena is only the fifth time in Loos' 23 season the Governors have opened a season at home. It has been since the 2003-04 season the Governors (Knoxville College) have played at home. It has been since the 1995-96 season since the Govs played a Division I team (Northern Illinois) at home to open the season. Normally the Govs are paying the bills through guarantee games or related tournaments.

Samford and Austin Peay certainly are familiar with each, the former being a member of the Ohio Valley Conference from 2003-04 to 2007-08. But the Bulldogs have a new face on the bench since the Govs last saw the Bulldogs.  Bennie Seltzer, a former Indiana assistant coach, has replaced Jimmy Tillette. In addition, former Kentucky star and long-time NBA player Scott Padget serves as a Samford assistant coach.

Seltzer was not left with a bare cupboard. Even though the Bulldogs finished 10-19 last year, they return standout guards Will Cook (8.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Raijon Kelly (9.4 rpg) while forward Tyler Hood (11.1 ppg) also returns. Kelly and Hood were named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team.  

Samford's 2012-13 roster is not only one of the youngest in the Southern Conference, but one of the youngest in the nation as well. A total of nine of the Bulldogs' 14 players are underclassmen this season-and no senior dots the roster.

The Governors also are on the young side. After watching four key starting seniors end their respective careers a year ago, the Govs have just two seniors, one being Anthony Campbell, who is coming off ACL surgery on the same knee in consecutive seasons; and the other is guard Jerome Clyburn, who will miss the season's first month after knee surgery.

The Govs started a pair of freshmen, guard AJ Lynch and center Chris Horton in the exhibition victory against Central Missouri. Campbell and fellow forward Will Triggs, a junior, led the way with 17 points while sophomore Chris Freeman came off the bench to add 16 points.

Junior guard Travis Betran, a late signee from Kilgore College, is expected to man the guard position next to Lynch while Campbell and Triggs will flank Horton up front.

The Governors are 47-33 all-time in season openers while Loos holds a 9-13 record in season openers.

-AP-