March 6, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Samford women's basketball team will take on Murray State in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Samford enters the game with a record of 23-8 after a 69-56 win over Eastern Kentucky in Tuesday's first round. Murray State is currently 22-7 after winning its first round game, 87-61, over Morehead State.

Samford and Murray State are meeting for the ninth time, with MSU holding a 5-3 advantage in the series. The teams split the season series, with each team winning at home. Samford defeated Murray State, 62-60, on a last-second shot at the Pete Hanna Center on Dec. 20. Murray took a 74-64 win in Murray, Ky., on Feb. 23.

Samford is 5-6 all-time in the postseason. The Bulldogs posted a 2-3 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, and the team is 3-3 so far in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

In Tuesday night's win over EKU, senior Taryn Towns led Samford with 16 points and six assists. Freshman Savannah Hill followed Towns with 13 points and senior Alex Munday added 10 points for the Bulldogs.

Samford is led in scoring by freshman Emily London, averaging 12.5 points per game. Sophomore Monica Maxwell is second on the team in scoring, with an average of 10.9 points per game.

Hill leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 4.5 rebounds per game. Munday and junior Chika Okoli are tied for second in rebounding, with each averaging 4.0 boards per contest.

Towns is the team-leader in assists, dishing out 3.8 assists per game. London is second in assists, with an average of 2.5 per game.

Friday's semifinal game against Murray State can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/. The game can also be viewed on the internet at www.ovcsports.tv.