Jan. 26, 2002

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Freshman Morgan Vickery scored a career-high 18 points by shooting 4-8 from three-point range but it was not enough as Samford fell to Mercer 68-54 Saturday afternoon in Atlantic Sun Conference action at Seibert Hall.

Vickery led all scorers in the game. She was 5-11 from the floor and 4-6 from the free throw line and grabbed three rebounds. Giovanni Price added 12 points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs who dropped to 1-15 on the season and 0-9 in Atlantic Sun play.

Mercer improved to 8-8 on the season and 5-4 in the conference. Tracy Henry led the Bears with 13 points and nine rebounds. Jo Shaw scored 12 points and four Bears, Mia Washington, Jwanda Roberson, Dana Zimmerman, and Ramona Wright each finished with eight points. Mercer shot 59 percent from the floor in the second half and finished the game at 46 percent.

Samford had a sluggish first half as the Bulldogs shot just 24 percent and committed 12 turnovers in the opening period as they went to the locker room trailing 34-20. The Bulldogs improved their shooting in the second half. Samford shot 32 percent in the second half to finish at 28 percent for the game. The Bulldogs were 9-12 from the free throw line. Both teams committed 25 turnovers and had 41 rebounds.

The difference in the game was in the paint. Mercer outscored Samford 30-20 in the paint and 12-0 on fast break baskets. Samford got 27 points from its bench led by Vickery's 18.

Samford will travel to Jacksonville State on Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. game at the Pete Mathews Coliseum.