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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- In front of a loud and enthusiastic, red-clad crowd Saturday on Senior Day, the Samford University basketball team earned a 73-67 Southern Conference victory against the VMI Keydets in the Bulldogs' 2015-16 home finale held at the Pete Hanna Center.
 
"This will be a big confidence-boost for us, because now we know we can come down the stretch and make the needed plays in order to get a close win," said Samford head coach Scott Padgett. "Getting some stops and some big rebounds on VMI's last three or four possessions was the key in the game for us, and then obviously Marcus' (Johnson) three was huge. It was great for him, especially to hit that shot on Senior Day."
 
With the win, Samford (13-17, 4-13 SoCon) snapped a three-game losing streak and closed out its home schedule with a 6-7 record on the season. The Bulldogs will next be in action on Feb. 27, as they travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a regular-season finale against the Chattanooga Mocs.
 
Prior to Saturday's victory over VMI (7-19, 2-13 SoCon), Samford honored its 2016 senior class comprised of Darius Jones-Gibson, Iman Johnson, Marcus Johnson and Jamal Shabazz. The Bulldogs' quartet combined to score 45 of the team's 73 points and registered half of Samford's 36 rebounds.
 
"The seniors were great today," Padgett said. "They came out with a lot of tempo and really energized us throughout the entire game. They were great in the huddles, took charge on the court and helped add a lot of enthusiasm to the team."
 
Five Bulldogs finished with double-figure scoring for a second straight game and for the fourth time this season.
 
True freshman Wyatt Walker came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. The Bulldogs' powerful 6-foot-9 center from Jacksonville, Florida, also pulled down eight rebounds and handed out an assist.
 
Seniors Shabazz and Jones-Gibson both finished with 13 points apiece, while sophomore point guard Christen Cunningham dropped in 11 points. Marcus Johnson started for the first time this season Saturday and logged 34 minutes of playing time. Samford's senior from Washington, D.C., scored 10 points, pulled down two rebounds and added a pair of assists.
 
"It feels really good to get the win today, because it's very hard when you keep losing games by two or three points," said Jones-Gibson. "We were able to get some huge stops and to make some big plays, and I really think this win will give us some confidence. Winning on Senior Day was awesome, because Samford is a great place and I really enjoyed my time here."
 
The Bulldogs' Iman Johnson nearly registered a double-double against VMI by grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds and scoring nine points. Samford's hardnosed forward from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recorded three steals and earned 27 minutes of playing time.
 
Samford shot a sizzling 53.8 percent from the field, including a red-hot 58.3-percent mark in the second half. The Bulldogs garnered a 38-32 lead at the intermission and owned a 15-point advantage with 12:59 remaining in the second half.
 
The Keydets, behind the stellar play of junior All-SoCon performer QJ Peterson, trimmed Samford's lead all the way down to two points, 69-67, with 1:36 left in the contest. Peterson scored a game-high 33 points and used an athletic three-point play to bring VMI to within striking distance down the stretch.
 
With a 69-67 lead and less than 30 seconds left on the clock, the Bulldogs' Marcus Johnson provided the key dagger en route to victory, as he drained a 3-point basket deep from the left flank. With Johnson's clutch 3-pointer, Samford took a five-point lead and was able to hold on through the final seconds for a decisive 73-67 victory.
 
The Bulldogs outscored the Keydets in the paint, 42-30, and off the bench, 17-10. Samford only knocked down four 3-point baskets, but shot better than VMI from long range, 36.4 percent to 29.2 percent.
 
"Right now, our main motivation is to be playing our best and to hopefully peak here at the end of the season," Padgett said. "Our record doesn't indicate how good we can be. We are a much better team than what we've played here in conference. This will give us some confidence and help us build momentum as we close out the regular season next week at Chattanooga and then head to the SoCon Tournament."
 
The Samford University basketball team will take a week off from competitive action before traveling to face Chattanooga on Feb. 27, in the team's last regular-season game of the season to be held at 4 p.m. (CST) at The McKenzie Arena in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee.
 
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