Dec 28, 2002

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala.-- The Samford Bulldogs committed a season-high 25 turnovers, 15 in the second half as South Alabama shot 48 percent from the floor in the second half and had 15 steals to take a 74-51 victory over the Bulldogs Saturday night at the Mitchell Center.

Samford dropped its fourth straight and dropped to 4-6 on the season. Tyson Dorsey led the Bulldogs with 12 points. Phillip Ramelli and Cornell Felton each scored nine points.

Chris Young and Malerick Bedden each scored 17 points to lead the Jaguars who improved to 6-4 on the season. Demetrice Williams had 13 points and Marques Ivy added 10 points for the Jags.

Samford scored the game's first five points but South Alabama responded with the next eight to take an early 8-5 lead. The game was tied four times in the first half as teams traded three point baskets. USA's Demetrice Williams hit a runner with 7:10 remaining to put the Jags up 28-26. Dorsey answered with his third three pointer of the half to give Samford a 29-28 lead and Eddie Harper's lay up made it 31-30 with 4:05 remaining. The Jags ended the half on a 7-0 run over the final four minutes to take a 37-31 halftime lead. Both teams had 12 baskets and six three pointers at the break but USA went 7-11 from the line and Samford was just 1-1 while committing 10 turnovers in the first half.

The second half was all South Alabama. The Jags used an 8-0 run to take a 52-41 lead. Josh Hare ended a four and a half minute scoreless streak with a basket at 11:34 to end the run but the Jags began a 6-0 run to a 59-43 with 8:47 to play. The Bulldogs scored just eight points the rest of the half and did not make a field goal over the final 8:17. Samford shot just 38 percent in the second half and finished at 47 percent for the game. The Bulldogs shot 57 percent from three point range while USA shot 67 percent from the beyond the arc.

Samford will have little time to dwell on the loss as it concludes its eight-game road trip at Ole Miss in a 3 p.m. game on Tuesday, Dec. 31.