BOX SCORE (PDF)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball team built a big early lead and held on late for a 60-51 victory at Alabama State Thursday night. Samford's record improves to 2-2 with the win, while Alabama State falls to 0-3.
 
FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Samantha Fitzgerald led Samford with a career-high 21 points, making 7-of-8 shots from the floor and 4-of-5 from three-point range.
• Olivia Crozier scored 12 points for the Bulldogs.
• Charity Brown scored nine points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists.
• Shauntai Battle added nine points for Samford.
• As a team, Samford made 43.1 percent of its shots, while Alabama State shot just 32.6 percent from the floor.

 
GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• After the teams traded early baskets, Samford used an 11-0 run to take a 13-2 lead with 4:22 left in the first quarter after a jumper by Crozier.
• Samford pushed its first-quarter lead to as many as 17 points at 23-6, and the Bulldogs held a 27-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
• In the second quarter, Samford pushed its lead out to as many as 18 points at 32-14 with 3:50 to go in the period after a layup by Crozier.
• Alabama State fought back to cut the lead to 12 at 32-20, and Samford took a 34-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• In the third quarter, Alabama State cut the Samford lead to 11 points at 39-28 with 5:04 to play in the quarter.
• Samford then pushed its lead back out to 15 points at 43-28 with 3:34 to go in the quarter after a layup by Natalie Armstrong, but ASU closed the quarter with a 7-1 run to cut the Samford lead to 44-35 after three quarters.
• Early in the fourth quarter, Alabama State cut the lead to five at 44-39, but Samford scored the next four points to push the lead back to nine at 48-39 with 6:35 to play after another layup by Crozier.
• ASU scored the next five points to cut the lead to four at 48-44, but Samford answered to push its lead back out to 52-44 with 4:14 left after two free throws by Brown.
• The Hornets again cut the lead to four at 52-48, but Samford closed the game with an 8-3 run to come away with the 60-51 victory.

 
UP NEXT

• Samford will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on Southern Mississippi Sunday, Nov. 18. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.