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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University basketball team suffered its second heartbreaking double-overtime home loss of the 2016-17 season Wednesday as the Bulldogs' late resurgences were both thwarted by the ETSU Buccaneers in a 96-86 Southern Conference loss held at the Pete Hanna Center.
 
With the defeat, Samford (13-8, 4-4 SoCon) moved to 6-4 at home this season and 1-3 in conference play when playing in the Hanna Center.
 
Wednesday's loss was eerily similar to a 106-103 double-overtime setback against Nicholls State in nonconference play on Nov. 27. The Bulldogs have played three overtime games this season and own a 1-2 record. On Jan. 8, Samford hung on for a 91-89 home victory against Wofford.
 
ETSU (16-5, 6-2 SoCon), with its tough road victory, moved into a three-way tie for second place in the SoCon standings. The Buccaneers are currently deadlocked with both Chattanooga and Furman for the position. UNCG, despite losing at Wofford, 93-74, on Wednesday, remained in sole possession of the first-place spot at 7-2 in league play.
 
Samford only shot 41.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range. The Bulldogs' shooting percentage proved to be their second lowest in SoCon play and fifth worst on the season.
 
From 3-point range, Samford's tally of 28.6 percent was its third lowest of the season.
 
ETSU built a 14-point lead early in the second half, 44-30, but the Bulldogs bounced back and used an 11-0 run to cut the Buccaneers' advantage to 44-41 with 13:02 left to play.
 
During Samford's rally, Wyatt Walker scored five points, Demetrius Denzel-Dyson dropped in four and Terry Brutus scored on a driving left-handed layup to the rim.
 
The Bulldogs, once in striking distance, never took a lead in the second half until the 2:58 mark when Denzel-Dyson drained a deep, NBA-range, 3-point basket. From that point on, the teams battled back and forth for the final minutes of game and ended regulation tied at 70-70, after a free throw from ETSU's Desonta Bradford.
 
On the final play of the second half, Samford's Josh Sharkey attempted a possible game-tying 3-pointer from the right flank, but the shot bounced off the back of the rim and out.
 
In overtime, the Bulldogs trailed by three points, 78-75, with 14 seconds remaining. On its final possession, Samford's Christen Cunningham gets stopped on a drive with mere ticks remaining, quickly retreated back behind the 3-point line and drained a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the contest into a second overtime.
 
The Buccaneers' took control of the final stanza about midway through the period when Bradford gathered his own miss following a layup and scored on a demoralizing jumper in the lane. Samford then turned the ball over and Preseason All-SoCon standout T.J. Cromer knocked down a wide-open 3-point basket.
 
ETSU went on to make its free throw down the stretch to secure the final 96-86 victory.
 
Samford committed 19 turnovers Wednesday and the Buccaneers outscored the Bulldogs, 31-14, in points off turnovers.
 
Cromer led all scorers with 27 points, while Bradford posted a double-double with 21 point and 10 rebounds. Eleven of his 21 points were scored in the overtime period alone.
 
Samford's Walker registered his 12^th double-double of the season and 16^th of his young, up-and-coming career. The Bulldogs' 6-foot-9 center finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the game.
 
Denzel-Dyson paced Samford with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor. He also pulled down nine rebounds and drained four 3-point field goals.
 
Cunningham added 16 points and six rebounds, while Sharkey came off the bench to chip in with 13 points and four assists.
 
The Samford University basketball team will next be in action Saturday at noon (CST) as the Bulldogs head back on the road to face the VMI Keydets in another key SoCon matchup to be held at Cameron Hall in Lexington, Virginia.
 
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