JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Samford men's basketball team hit the road for its toughest test in Southern Conference play at first-place ETSU. The Bulldogs extended its winning streak to five games, defeating the Buccaneers 82-72 in an overtime thriller Saturday at Freedom Hall. With the victory, the Bulldogs improve to 15-12 overall and 8-6 in the Southern Conference.

The Bulldog's winning streak has been correlated to hot starts, and that continued today as they jumped out to a 23-10 lead early on. Dylan Faulkner was a force down low, as he scored 14 points and pulled down six boards in the first 20 minutes of play. ETSU answered with an 11-2 run midway through the half to tighten the game. Jadin Booth didn't have his best day from the field, but still was able to get to the line and finished with 19 points. Both sides shot the ball well in the first half, Samford 48 percent and ETSU 52 percent, but it was the Dogs that took a 38-37 lead into the break.

The second half remained a tight affair throughout, as neither side led by more than four points at any point. The second 20 minutes was a grind it out slog as defense and fouls dictated the action. Both teams shot in the low 30 percent from the floor and took a combined 39 trips to the line in the second half. 

The Dogs went nearly eight minutes without a basket down the stretch, but got enough from the line and stops of their own to keep it close. Down three with a minute to go, Booth knocked down a clutch three-pointer, Samford's only of the half, to tie the game at 68. ETSU had the ball last, but stops late by each side sent the game to overtime and avoided a repeat of when the sides met earlier this season, which ended with an ETSU win at the buzzer. 

Samford asserted complete control in the extra period. The Bulldogs opened overtime with a decisive run keyed by clutch free-throw shooting and locked down on defense, holding the Buccaneers to just four points. Samford outscored ETSU 14-4 in the final five minutes to seal the statement road win.

Dylan Faulkner led the charge for Samford, posting his 10th double-double of the season with a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Booth finished with 19 points and set a new season high with four steals. Keaton Norris recorded the first double-double of his season, scoring 14 points while pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds and dishing out a team-best six assists. Cade Norris added 12 points, and Zion Wilburn added seven off the bench and crucial defense. 

The Bulldogs will look to extend their winning streak to six games when they travel to Charleston, S.C., to take on The Citadel. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start on Thursday, Feb. 19.

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