FLORENCE, Ala. – Samford junior center
Emily Bowman set school records for rebounds and blocked shots in the Bulldog women's basketball team's 67-61 overtime win at North Alabama Thursday evening at Flowers Hall.
With the win, Samford improved its record to 3-8. North Alabama fell to 4-4 with the loss.
Bowman nearly had a triple double, scoring 15 points, grabbing a school-record 21 rebounds and blocking a school-record eight shots. The rebounds broke the old record of 19, set by Bowman last season, while the blocks broke the old record of seven, held by Bowman and two other players.
Kennedy Langham scored 14 points for Samford, making several big shots down the stretch.
Sadie Stetson scored nine points, while
Sierra Godbolt had seven points, six rebounds and four assists.
Charity Gallegos led North Alabama with 14 points. Emma Kate Tittle had 13 points for the Lions. India Howard had 11 rebounds for the Lions, while Alyssa Clutter grabbed 10 boards for UNA.
Samford jumped out to an early 7-5 lead with 7:52 left in the first quarter after a layup by Bowman. After UNA took an 8-7 lead, Samford fought back to take a 13-10 advantage at the 4:51 mark in the opening period following a tip-in by Bowman. The Lions came back to take a 17-15 lead, but a late basket by Langham tied the score at 17-17 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bulldogs took a 22-20 lead with 7:09 to go in the second quarter after a jumper by
Aubrey Blankenship. After a UNA three-pointer gave the Lions a 23-22 lead, Samford scored the next five points to take a 27-23 advantage with 4:58 left in the second quarter after a layup by Godbolt. Samford stretched its lead to six points at 33-27 late in the second quarter and that was the score as the teams headed to the locker room at halftime.
Samford built its lead to nine points at 36-27 with 8:57 to go in the third period following a layup by Bowman. UNA scored the next seven points to cut the lead to two at 36-34 with 7:11 left in the third quarter after a three-pointer by Tittle. A layup by Bowman and a three-pointer by Stetson extended Samford's lead back to seven at 41-34 with 6:29 left in the third period.
North Alabama cut the lead to two points at 43-41 with 3:26 left in the third period following a three-pointer by Sarang West. A three-pointer by
Alonya Waldon stretched the Samford lead back to five at 46-41 with 2:30 left in the third quarter. Samford held a 47-43 lead at the end of the third quarter.
North Alabama opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run to take a 49-47 lead with 5:16 to go after a jumper by Gallegos. Samford answered with a 7-0 run to take a 54-49 lead with 3:23 left in the fourth after a free throw by Bowman. UNA came back to take a 56-54 lead, but a late jumper by Langham tied the game at 56-56, sending the game into overtime.
Samford scored the first six points of overtime, taking a 62-56 lead with 3:14 to go on a basket by Langham. UNA cut the lead to four twice in the overtime, but Samford answered both times as the Bulldogs pulled out the 67-61 overtime win.
Samford will return home to play host to Miles College on Sunday, Dec. 8. The game is set for a 5 p.m. start from the Pete Hanna Center.
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For the latest news and information on Samford women's basketball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at
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