BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford men's basketball team returned to the Pete Hanna Center this afternoon as they faced Chattanooga for the second time this season. The Dogs controlled the second half against the Mocs to come away with the 75-64 victory. Samford takes their record to 10-11 overall and is now 3-5 in Southern Conference play.

The Bulldogs leaned on the hot hand of Jadin Booth, who poured in 13 points before halftime, including three three-pointers to keep the Samford offense in rhythm. It was a game of runs for both sides as the teams combined for 13 lead changes and six ties in the half. The Dogs shot 38 percent while the Mocs shot 40 percent as Samford was trying to attack from beyond the arc, as 20 of their 31 shots were from deep. Dylan Faulkner established his presence on the glass early, grabbing seven boards and scoring eight points in the opening 20 minutes. Cade Norris scored all eight of his points in the first half as the teams went to the locker room knotted at 32.

Samford was the aggressor in the second half, as they forced the ball into the paint and got into the bonus early. The Bulldogs went to the line 32 times in the second half after taking just four attempts in the first. The Dogs were in the 30 percent range for much of the game from the charity stripe, but they closed the game well, finishing 23-of-36. 

Booth continued his offensive eruption, finishing with 28 points—including his fifth game this season with at least six made threes. Faulkner was relentless inside, setting a new career high with 13 rebounds and recording his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points. Off the bench, Zion Wilburn offered valuable minutes with a game-best plus-minus of plus-23, going a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line.

The Dogs continue to take care of the ball at an elite level, as they committed just four turnovers and had 13 assists. The game was tied with eight minutes remaining, but the Bulldog defense and efficiency on the offensive end allowed Samford to come out on the right end of the close contest and earn the 75-64 win.

Samford looks to build on its momentum when it travels to Greenville, S.C., to face Furman Thursday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. The Paladins are 14-7 and defeated Samford 77-73 when the sides met in Birmingham earlier this year.

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