Nov. 29, 2003

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A.J. Meredith made one of two free throws with 16 seconds left to play and Samford committed its 21st turnover on its final possession as the University of New Orleans defeated the Bulldogs 62-60 Saturday night at Lakefront Arena.

J. Robert Merritt was four of seven from three-point range to lead Samford (1-2) with 16 points. Eddie Harper scored 12 points, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and hit two game-tying three pointers. New Orleans-native Phillip Ramelli added 10 points and seven rebounds in his homecoming.

UNO (2-0) was led by Johnell Smith with 16 points and five rebounds. Bo McCalebb had 14 points and Kyle Buggs added 12 points all in the second half.

Samford's 21 turnovers were a season-high and helped allow UNO to take 18 more shots than the Bulldogs. The Privateers committed 10 turnovers. UNO also controlled the offensive glass out rebounding Samford 40-36 in the game but 16-5 on offensive rebounds.

Samford held a 22-16 lead in the first half before the Privateers went on an 11-0 run to build a 27-22 lead. The Bulldogs were able to battle back the last five minutes and Harper's first three-pointer of the game tied the score at 29 with 55 seconds remaining in the half. Both teams had a final possession but neither could score and they went into the locker rooms tied. Samford shot 50 percent from the floor, from three-point range, and from the free-throw line in the opening period.

UNO opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take its largest lead at 42-31. The Bulldogs missed their first five three-point attempts to open the half. Randall Gulina went on a personal 7-0 run before he fouled out of the game with 9:15 to play. Gulina's last basket pulled the Bulldogs to within 46-45. Harper then tied the game at 50 with a three-pointer with 6:28 to play.

The Privateers responded with a quick seven-point run to regain a 57-50 lead with 3:17 left to play. Merritt hit a three pointer but McCalebb answered with a layup to make the score 59-53 at the two minute mark. A Harper lay-up and steal and lay-up by Anthony LoPiano pulled the 'Dogs to with 59-57 with 1:21 to play.

Smith missed a shot with just under a minute to play but tipped in his own miss to give UNO a four-point lead. Samford came down and missed two three-pointers but kept the ball alive long enough for Ramelli to finally hit from long range with 26 second to play to bring the score to 61-60. Jerry Smith fouled Meredith with 16 seconds to play to set up the final frantic seconds.

UNO shot 36 percent from the floor but were 6-8 from the free-throw line in the second half to finish at 64 percent for the game. Samford shot only 41 percent in the second half to finish the game at 45 percent from the floor, 38 percent from long range and 63 percent from the line.

Samford will return to action on Friday at it travels to Rock Hill, S.C. to compete in the Winthrop University tournament. The Bulldogs will play Winthrop in the opening round on Friday night.