BOX SCORE (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford men's basketball team fell behind by double digits at halftime, but came back to force overtime and eventually take a 77-72 win over Morehead State Thursday night in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
With the win, Samford improves to 9-2 on the season. The start is the best for the program after 11 games since the 1960-61 season, when the Bulldogs posted a 23-1 overall record. Morehead State falls to 3-7 with the loss.


 
FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Brandon Austin led Samford with a career-high 25 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Josh Sharkey scored 19 points for the Bulldogs.
• Ruben Guerrero had 14 points and nine rebounds, while Robert Allen added 12 points and nine rebounds.
• Jordan Walker led Morehead State with 22 points.
• James Baker had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Eagles.
• The game marked Samford's second overtime game of the season. The Bulldogs are now 1-1 in games that go to extra time.

 
GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• After Samford scored the first three points of the game, Morehead State scored the next seven-straight points to take a 7-3 lead with 17:10 to go in the first half.
• Samford answered with a 7-0 run of its own to take a 10-7 lead with 14:58 left in the half after a three-pointer by Austin.
• Morehead State came back to take a 12-10 lead with 12:36 left in the first half.
• With Samford leading, 20-19, Morehead State went on an 8-0 run to take a 27-20 lead with 4:17 to go before halftime.
• With Morehead State leading, 27-23, the Eagles closed the half with an 8-1 run to take a 35-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• After Morehead State extended its lead to 37-24 early in the second half, Samford went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to four points at 37-33 with 16:18 to go after a jumper by Sharkey.
• With Morehead State leading, 39-33, Samford went on an 8-0 run to take a 41-39 lead with 13:32 to go after a tip-in by Guerrero.
• The game was neck-and-neck for the rest of regulation.
• With Morehead State leading, 62-60, Austin hit a three-pointer to give Samford a 63-62 lead with 29 seconds to go.
• With Morehead State holding a 64-63 advantage, Sharkey's layup gave the Bulldogs a 65-64 lead with six seconds to go.
• Morehead State's A.J. Hicks was then fouled with one second to go, but made just one of his two free throw attempts to tie the game at 65-65 and send the game to overtime.
• With the game tied at 69-69, Samford went on an 8-0 run to take a 77-69 lead with five seconds to go after a pair of free throws by Sharkey.
• A late three-pointer by MSU's Walker made the final score 77-72.

 
UP NEXT

• Samford will remain at home, playing host to Houston Baptist on Monday, Dec. 17. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start from the Pete Hanna Center.