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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball team dropped a 77-61 decision to Chattanooga in the team's Southern Conference opener Wednesday evening in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
Samford was led in the loss by junior guard Hannah Nichols with 16 points. Freshman forward Samantha Fitzgerald scored 15 points, while senior guard Brittany Stevens added 10 points and four assists. Senior guard Lydia McGee, seeing her first action of the season after missing the first 14 games due to injury, dished out three assists and grabbed three rebounds.
 
For Chattanooga, Jasmine Joyner led the way with 20 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots. Chelsey Shumpert scored 19 points and dished out four assists. Moses Johnson added 12 points for the Mocs.
 
Chattanooga started the first quarter hot, jumping out to a 15-5 lead with 4:13 left in the opening period after a three-pointer by Shumpert. Chattanooga led by as many as 13 points in the first quarter and held a 23-12 advantage after one period.
 
In the second quarter, Chattanooga pushed its lead out to 15 points at 27-12 with 8:06 to go after a jumper by Aryanna Gilbert. Samford fought back to close to within six points at 31-25 with 2:36 to go after a three-pointer by Kassidy Blevins. Chattanooga took a 37-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
After Chattanooga pushed its lead back out to 11 points at 41-30 early in the third quarter, Samford came back with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to four points at 41-37 with 5:54 left in the quarter after a layup by Fitzgerald. Samford closed to within just one point at 46-45 with 3:17 left in the third quarter after a three-pointer by Nichols.
 
Chattanooga, however, answered to push its lead back out to five points at 52-47 with 38 seconds left in the third quarter after a three-point play by Joyner. A late jumper by Ellen Riggins cut the Chattanooga lead to three points at 52-49 heading into the final period.
 
Chattanooga opened the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run to push its lead back out to 13 points at 62-49 with 7:22 left after a three-pointer by Shumpert. Samford could get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way, and the Mocs pulled away for the 77-61 win.
 
As a team, Samford shot 37.7 percent overall and 38.5 percent from three-point range. Chattanooga shot 54.2 percent overall and 47.1 percent from beyond the arc. Chattanooga won the rebounding battle, 33-28. Samford dished out 19 assists, while Chattanooga finished with 14.
 
With the loss, Samford falls to 6-9 overall and 0-1 in Southern Conference play. Chattanooga improves to 7-8 overall and 1-0 in league play.
 
Samford will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 7, when the Bulldogs host the ETSU Bucs. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start from the Pete Hanna Center. To purchase tickets for the game, click here: ETSU GAME TICKETS.