Jan. 10, 2004

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee State finished the game on a 30-6 run over the final 12 minutes as the Tigers took a 60-48 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball game at the Gentry Center Saturday afternoon.

Samford (6-7, 1-1 OVC) led 42-30 with 12:48 to play in the game before Brandon Lockrigdge and Adrian Pritchett hit back-to-back three pointers to pull to the Tigers to within 42-36.

The game turned after a Samford steal and what should have been an easy lay-up by Josh Hare on the other end, instead a foul was called on Bryan Boerjan for an illegal screen on the break which changed the momentum of the game. The foul on Boerjan was the seventh team foul called on the Bulldogs and put the Tigers in the bonus at the 10:48 mark.

The Bulldogs went the next 6:15 without scoring before a pair of free throws by J. Robert Merritt ended the drought and made the score 45-44 with 6:30 to play in the game. Samford would score just one field goal and two free throws by Hare the rest of the game. Hare's basket at 3:46 made the score 52-48 before TSU (3-10, 2-0 OVC) finished the game scoring the final eight points.

Tennessee State was 16 for18 from the free throw line in the second half and 18 for 22 (81.8 percent) for the game to overcome shooting just 34 percent from the floor and 29.6 percent from three point range.

Samford shot 47.6 percent from the floor in the first half to build a 27-22 halftime lead. The Bulldogs shot a miserable 27 percent in the second half and were 2 for14 from three-point range against the TSU zone to finish 7 for 27 (25.9 percent) from long range.

Samford committed 20 turnovers to just seven for TSU. Hare led the Bulldogs with 11 points while Tyson Dorsey had nine points. Jerry Smith set a career high with eight rebounds and Merritt added a season-high seven rebounds as Samford out-rebounded the Tigers 35-29.

Roshaun Bowens had a game-high 18 points to lead four Tigers in double figures. Bruce Price had 13 points by going 11 for 12 from the free throw line. Garrett Richardson and Pritchett each had 10 points for the Tigers.

Samford returns to action on Thursday as it travels to conference leading Murray State at 7:30 p.m.