Jan. 6, 2004
Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
Eddie Harper hit a three-point shot as the shot clock buzzer sounded to put Samford up by seven with 1:20 to play and the Bulldogs went 8-10 from the free throw line in the final minute as Samford won its Ohio Valley Conference opener 58-48 over Jacksonville State Tuesday night at Seibert Hall.
Jacksonville State's (6-6, 0-2) Trent Eager who finished the game with a game-high 17 points pulled the Gamecocks to within four points with three-pointer at the1:54 mark but Harper's had the answer and JSU would not threaten again as Samford evened its record at 6-6 and won its first ever OVC contest.
"I thought the big play was Eddie hitting the shot from the corner as the shot clock expired," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "The play of our seniors and our overall defensive effort is what won the game tonight."
Tyson Dorsey led the four Bulldogs in double-figures with 15 points going 3-4 from three-point range. Samford made a season-low five three pointers in the game shooting just 31 percent from behind the arc. Harper added 14 points and five rebounds while
Phillip Ramelli had 12 points and five rebounds on 5-7 shooting from the floor.
J. Robert Merritt added 10 points by going 5-6 from the free throw line.
Both teams shot poorly in the first half as JSU took a 17-15 lead into the locker room. The 15 points were the fewest points Samford had scored in a half since scoring 13 points at Jacksonville State on Jan. 22, 2002. The Bulldogs were 1-9 from long range and shot just 25 percent from the floor in the opening period. Jax State was only slightly better shooting 30 percent in the first half and went 1-8 from long range.
"We wanted to lull them to sleep in the first half," joked Tillette afterwards. "We came out and played tight. We had been shooting very well at home but tonight we were just tight. I thought we did a good job on the glass, we kept them off the free throw line, and we made shots in the second half."
The Bulldogs heated up in the second half as Dorsey connected on a three-pointer to open the half and give Samford an 18-17 lead and the Bulldogs would not trail again.
Samford began the half on a 15-4 run to lead by nine with 13:57 left. The Bulldogs would extend their lead to as many as 13 with 6:32 to play before JSU mounted a comeback attempt but Eager's three to pull to within four was as close as JSU would get.
Samford play its first ever OVC road game on Saturday when it travels to Nashville to face Tennessee State. The start time has been changed. The game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. it will now tip-off at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
