BOX SCORE (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the second-straight game Samford and Mercer basketball went to overtime, with Mercer pulling out a 77-70 win Wednesday evening in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
With the loss, Samford falls to 6-10 overall and 2-7 in Southern Conference play. Mercer improves to 12-7 overall and 5-6 in league games.
 
FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Preston Parks led Samford with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
• Jalen Dupree tallied 13 points and five rebounds for the Bulldogs.
• A.J. Staton-McCray had 12 points and five rebounds for Samford.
• Logan Dye added 10 points for the Bulldogs.
• Mercer was led by Neftali Alvarez with 23 points.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mercer raced out to a 7-0 lead with 18:40 to go in the first half after a layup by Haase.
• Samford fought back to cut the lead to 15-13 with 11:22 left in the first half after a three-pointer by Dye.
• After Mercer pushed its lead back out to 20-13, Samford responded with a 7-0 run to knot the score at 20-20 with 8:45 to go in the opening half after a three-pointer by Staton-McCray.
• With Samford trailing, 25-20, the Bulldogs went on a 9-0 run to take a 29-25 lead with 5:02 left in the first half after a layup by Dupree.
• Samford pushed its lead out to seven points at 34-27 with 2:01 left in the first half after a layup by Jaron Rillie.
• Samford took a 35-29 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• The Bulldogs pushed their lead to eight points at 37-29 early in the second half.
• Mercer scored the next six points to cut the lead to 37-35 with 17:31 left in the second period.
• The Bears came back to tie the score at 45-45 with 13:29 left in the second half after a pair of free throws by Leon Ayers.
• With Samford leading, 54-52, Mercer went on a 6-0 run to take a 58-54 lead with 7:52 left in the second half following a three-pointer by Jeff Gary.
• Samford scored the next five points to take a 59-58 lead with 6:43 left in the second half following a three-pointer by Rillie.
• With Samford trailing, 66-64 with 28 seconds to play in the second half, Staton-McCray sank two free throws to knot the score at 66-66.
• Samford then forced a Mercer turnover with 22 seconds to play.
• Samford was unable to score on the ensuing possession and the teams headed to overtime, knotted at 66-66.
• With the score tied at 68-68, Mercer went on a 9-0 run to take a 77-68 lead with 11 seconds left following a pair of free throws by Gary.
• Mercer came away with the 77-70 victory in overtime.

 
UP NEXT

• Samford will travel to Lexington, Va., to take on the VMI Keydets Saturday, Feb. 13. The game is set for a 12 p.m. (CT) start.