BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jermaine Marshall (25) and Logan Dye (23) combined for 48 points while Jaron Rillie distributed 10 assists to help guide the Samford Men's Basketball team to a 78-69 win over Mercer to open Southern Conference play on Wednesday.

The Bulldogs (7-7, 1-0 SoCon) drained a season-high 13 threes while finishing 57 percent from beyond the arc (13-23). Marshall knocked down a career-best five treys on seven attempts while Nathan Johnson sank four of seven shots from downtown in a 14-point performance.

Marshall also added a team-high seven rebounds, while Rillie finished just three points shy of a double-double with seven and swiped four steals. 

Both teams scored seven points over the first four and a half minutes. The Bulldogs took a 15-11 lead following an Achor Achor jumper and would create more separation with a 9-4 run to go up 24-17 at the 8:40 mark.

The Bears fought back to take a 28-26 lead with 4:19 left in the half, with the score swaying back and forth over the final four minutes. N. Johnson capped off the Bulldogs' 55 percent (6-11) clip from three in the first half by draining his third trey of the period in the closing seconds to give Samford a 36-35 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, tallying a 16-5 run out of the gate to take a 52-40 lead at the 14:42 mark. Samford kept its foot on the gas with a 9-3 run over the next five minutes that saw them take the largest lead of the game at 61-43.

Mercer inched its way back with seven unanswered points late to trim the Bulldogs' lead to 73-62 with 42 seconds left, but Samford hung on by sinking five free throws over the final minute to clinch a 78-69 victory.

The Bulldogs conceded a season-low nine turnovers on the night while forcing 12 from the Bears that turned into 15 points. Samford registered 20 points in the paint and 13 second-chance points.

The Bulldogs used a 54 percent (14-26) shooting effort in the second half to finish the night with a clip of 50 percent (26-52) while also knocking down 13 of 17 free throws in the contest.

The men's basketball team will return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 31 for a 12:00 p.m. (CST) SoCon showdown at The Citadel.





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