Oct. 20, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford basketball team held its annual Red-Blue Scrimmage on Saturday in Seibert Hall. The Blue team pulled out a 54-52 victory behind a 15-point, seven-rebound performance from Savoy Fraine. Senior center Travis Peterson led all scorers with 18 points.

The scrimmage was the Bulldogs' first game-simulated action of the 2007-08 season and was open to the general public.

"I thought that we looked good today," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "We have a lot of young players and they're still learning. We had a good week of practice and whenever you put people in the stands, they're going to get a little nervous."

During the competition, the Red and Blue squads played for approximately an hour and split the time into three 15-minute games.

Peterson, Samford's 6-foot-10 native of Glendale, Ariz., started off slowly in Saturday's competition but finished with 18 points, three assists and a game-high seven steals. He also stepped back behind the 3-point line and knocked down a pair of 3-point baskets.

The Blue team jumped out to a large lead behind the play of 6-foot-8 swingman Fraine. The Bulldogs' talented sophomore knocked down his first five shots of the scrimmage and finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block.

"We accomplished a lot in the scrimmage," Tillette said. "When we stayed within our system we were successful, but we also had some bad plays that ended up on the negative side of the ledger. On the positive side, I thought that Savoy and Jim Griffin player very well today."

Griffin, Samford's sophomore from Chicago, Ill., turned in a solid all-around game Saturday. He scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds, handed out three assists and added a steal.

Down the stretch the Blue team was able to hold off the Red squad and escaped with a slight 54-52 victory.

True freshman Josh Davis and sophomore Trey Montgomery both scored 12 points in the scrimmage and the following three players finished with seven points apiece: Josh Bedwell, Andy King and Curtis West. Bedwell, the Bulldogs' freshman sharpshooter from Hartselle, Ala., also added three assists, two rebounds and a steal.

Montgomery, Samford's talented guard from Destrehan, La., picked up three steals, three rebounds and an assist.

The Samford University basketball team will open its 2007-08 season Nov. 11, as the Bulldogs travel to Evansville, Ind., for a matchup against the Evansville Purple Aces. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.