CONWAY, Ark. - The Samford men's basketball team finished up a three-game road stretch in five days this afternoon as they faced off with Central Arkansas. The Bulldogs fought back from a double-digit deficit to force overtime, where they came away with the 84-77 victory. The win moves Samford's record to 3-2 on the season.

The two sides played a tight and back-and-forth half early on. There were seven lead changes, and the score was tied 12 times. Jadin Booth led the Dogs with 10 points in the first 20 minutes of play while Isaiah Campbell-Finch had seven off the bench. The game was tied 27-27 with six minutes left, when the Bulldogs went cold from the field the remainder of the half. The Dogs went just 1-of-8 to close the half with three turnovers on the offensive end as Central Arkansas built a 41-30 lead the half. The Bulldogs shot just 37 percent from the field in the half while the home side shot 55 percent.

While UCA was getting its work done in the paint, outscoring Samford 44-26, the Dogs were staying in the game from behind the three-point line. Six of the ten makes in the first half were from deep for Samford on 19 attempts, and they didn't slow down in the second 20 minutes as they connected on 8-of-23 in the second half. Booth knocked down five, Keaton Norris had four, while Campbell-Finch hit three and Jaxon Pollard hit two.

The Dogs started the second half well, but UCA built the lead up to 13 with 15 minutes left in the game. Samford hit the home side with the run of the game, which started with a Dylan Faulkner dunk and was followed by five straight possessions with a three-pointer. Three of the makes from deep came from Booth, who finished with a team-high 21 points, as the deficit was completely erased in four minutes.  

The Bears continued to lead throughout the majority of the second half, but the combo of Keaton Norris and Faulkner for the Bulldogs kept them close late. Two Faulkner baskets late tied the game before Norris hit a runner that gave Samford the lead with 30 seconds left. UCA was able to score late with ten seconds remaining and send the game to overtime tied at 68.

In the overtime period, it was Cade and Keaton Norris who were carrying the Dogs offensively. Cade had six of his 12 points in the overtime period, and Keaton hit the biggest shot of the game, a deep three with the shot clock winding down to put Samford up 79-74. The Dogs never looked back as they held on to earn the 84-77 victory.

Samford shot just 41 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three, but the volume of three pointers made, 15, to just six made from UCA helped propel the Dogs. After the home side shot got the ball to the basket in the opening half, the Bulldog's defense limited them to just 33 percent shooting in the second half and overtime period combined. Behind Booth, Keaton Norris finished with 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, while Faulkner ended with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. 

The Bulldogs move to 2-0 in overtime games this season after taking down Texas Southern earlier on this roadtrip. Up next, Samford returns home to host Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday night in the Pete Hanna Center. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Eagles enter with a 2-2 record on the season.

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