Feb. 12, 2004
Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. -
The Samford men's basketball team suffered through it worst shooting performance of the season hitting on just 35 percent of its shots in a 63-43 Ohio Valley Conference loss at Eastern Kentucky on Thursday.
The Bulldogs dropped to 10-12 on the season and 5-6 in the OVC totaling their lowest point production of the season and matching it worst loss of the year.
Eastern Kentucky (10-12, 5-6 OVC) swept the season series by shooting 71 percent from the floor in the second half after scoring the final five points of the first half to a take a 22-19 lead into halftime.
Matt Witt led the Colonels with 20 points on 6-10 shooting from three-point range. It was Witt who hit his first three of the game at the end of the first half to put EKU on top. He then hit his first five three's of the second half as the Colonels went on a 9-0 run to force a Samford timeout at the 16:44 mark of the second half.
The Bulldogs could get no closer than eight points, 34-26, at the 15:08 mark when Witt hit back-to-back three's for the second time in the half. Jon Bentley added 10 points for EKU.
Tyson Dorsey led the Bulldogs scoring all 10 of his points in the first half. Josh Hare and J. Robert Merritt each finished with seven points.
"We played very well on defense in the first half but we had trouble scoring the ball in the post and that caused us to lose our intensity in the second half," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette.
Samford held a 14-8 lead with 6:31 left in the first half as both teams struggled shooting the ball in the opening period. EKU went on a 7-0 run to takes its second lead of the game 15-14 with 3:02 remaining after Samford went five minutes without a basket.
The Bulldogs regained the lead on a Dorsey three to take a 17-15 lead. Samford was up 19-17 with 31 seconds remaining in the half when Mike Scott hit a lay-up to tie the game. Samford should have had the last shot but a turnover gave Witt a three-point look with two seconds remaining.
Samford will conclude its current four-game road trip with a 7:30 p.m. ET game at Morehead State n Saturday.
