CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Samford junior forward Achor Achor scored a career-high 35 points to lead the Bulldogs to their 16^th-straight win, 75-71, at Western Carolina Tuesday evening at the Ramsey Center.
 
Samford's 16-game win streak is the longest in school history and is currently the longest in the nation. Utah State has won 15-straight games and could tie Samford with a win later tonight. Samford improved to 16-2 overall and 5-0 in Southern Conference play. Western Carolina fell to 15-3 overall and 4-1 in league action.
 
"This was a good win, obviously against a good team," Samford head coach Bucky McMillan said. "It's hard to win on the road anytime, particularly here. You've got to win in different ways and we have won in different ways. I thought their stars played well and our guys played really well."
 
Achor made 12-of-22 shots from the floor, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. He also led the team with 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Behind Achor for Samford, Rylan Jones scored 18 points and dished out six assists. Jaden Campbell scored 10 points, while A.J. Staton-McCray added nine points for the Bulldogs.
 
Western Carolina was led by Vonterius Woolbright with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Russell Jones Jr. scored 22 points, while D.J. Campbell added 12 points for the Catamounts.
 
Western Carolina took an early 8-4 lead with 18:03 left in the first half following a layup by Woolbright. Samford scored the next 12 points to take a 16-8 lead with 14:34 to go in the opening half after a three-pointer by Jones. Samford stretched its lead to nine points at 26-17, but Western Carolina fought back to cut the lead to four at 26-22 with 7:24 left in the half after a layup by WCU's Jones.
 
Samford, however, answered with a 7-0 run to push its lead to 11 points at 33-22 at the 4:36 mark of the first half after a pair of free throws by Achor. Western Carolina scored the next five points to cut the lead to six points at 33-27 with 1:43 left before halftime. Samford took a 37-29 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
After Samford pushed its lead back to 10 points at 39-29, Western Carolina scored the next five points to cut the lead to 39-34 with 18:03 left in the game after a layup by Jones. Samford increased its lead back to nine points at 49-40 at the 12:36 mark following a free throw by Josh Holloway. The Catamounts cut the lead to just five at 53-48 with 8:25 left after a jumper by Campbell.
 
The Bulldogs extended their lead back out to nine at 57-48 with 7:19 left after a layup by Achor. Western Carolina closed to within three points at 63-60 with 3:44 to go after a three-pointer by Campbell. A three-point play by Samford's Staton-McCray made the score 66-60 with 3:27 left. Western Carolina's Jones hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 66-63 with 3:00 remaining.
 
Samford pushed its lead back to six points at 71-65 with 1:03 to go on a dunk by Campbell. A three-pointer by Western Carolina's Woolbright cut the lead to 71-68 with 49 seconds left. A pair of Woolbright free throws cut the lead to 71-70, but Samford's Jones nailed a pair of free throws to make the score 73-70 with eight seconds left. Western Carolina's Jones hit one free throw to make the score 73-71, but Staton-McCray added two free throws with one second left to secure the 75-71 win.
 
Samford will return home to play host to Mercer on Saturday, Jan. 20. The game is set for a 5 p.m. start from the Pete Hanna Center.




 
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