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2005 First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference Outstanding perimeter shooter . . . has a great understanding of the game on both ends of the floor . . . has an uncanny ability to create his own shot around the basket. Junior (2004-05): Started all 28 games of the season and averaged a team-high 36.6 minutes per contest . . . led the team in a predominant number of statistical categories, including points (463), scoring (16.5 ppg), rebounding (4.1 rpg), steals (40), field goals (142), 3-point field goals (85), free throws (94) and blocks (9) . . . set Samford's single-season 3-point field goal record with a total of 85 . . . surpassed Jonathan Pixley's previous single-season mark of 84, which was set during the 1995-96 campaign . . . earned first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors . . . became a member of Samford's prestigious 400-point club by scoring a total of 463 points in 28 games . . . his 463-point output ranked 11th in the school's all-time single-season scoring list . . . finished the season ranked No. 10 in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage (44.0) and 18th in 3-point field goals per game (3.04) . . . led the OVC in both of the aforementioned categories . . . became the 19th player in Samford history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in a career, as he scored 20 points in the team's 84-75 victory over Jacksonville State (Feb. 22) . . . was one of only four players in the conference to earn a pair of OVC Player of the Week honors . . . he garnered the OVC Player of the Week award on both Nov. 29 and Jan. 24 . . . has scored in double figures in 19-consecutive games dating back to Dec. 21, 2004, when he was limited to six points in a non-conference matchup at Bradley . . . scored at least 20 points in nine games, including five of the team's final 12 outings . . . notched a career-high 30 points against South Alabama (Nov. 24) with a 10-of-19 shooting performance from the field . . . tallied a career-high eight free throws against Jacksonville State (Feb. 22) . . . recorded a career-high four steals at home versus Murray State (Jan. 13) . . . played all 45 minutes of the Bulldogs' overtime contest on the road at Southeast Missouri (Jan. 29) . . . blocked a career-high two shots against IUPUI (Nov. 30) . . . earned his third varsity letter. Sophomore (2003-04): Started in 27 of 28 games . . . ranked third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.1 points per game . . . tied for second on the team in assists, averaging 2.6 per game . . . pulled down 3.9 rebounds per contest . . . scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds against Bryan College . . . totaled 16 points, six rebounds and four assists at New Orleans . . . tallied 13 points and six rebounds against Winthrop . . . collected 16 points and five assists on the road versus Ohio State . . . scored 14 points against Covenant College . . . notched 13 points against Memphis . . . registered 19 points and six rebounds against Tennessee Wesleyan . . . scored 10 points against Jacksonville State . . . pulled down seven rebounds on the road against Tennessee State . . . scored 15 points at Murray State . . . totaled a season-high 22 points versus Eastern Kentucky . . . tallied 18 points against Southeast Missouri . . . finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists at Tennessee Tech . . . tallied 16 points, four rebounds and five assists at Austin Peay . . . scored 10 points on the road versus Morehead State . . . scored 21 points against Tennessee Tech . . . notched 11 points and a season-high 11 rebounds against Tennessee State . . . grabbed nine rebounds at Eastern Kentucky . . . earned his second varsity letter. Freshman (2002-03): Member of the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team . . . started in 26 of the Bulldogs' 28 games . . . scored 15 points in his first start on 5-of-7 shooting against Arkansas State . . . finished third in the A-Sun in 3-point field-goal percentage at 42.9 percent (48-112) . . . scored a season-high 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting with five 3-point shots against Florida International . . . added 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in a home victory over Campbell . . . turned in 13 double-figure performances . . . finished third on the team in scoring at 9.4 points per game . . . placed second on the team in rebounding at 4.3 per game . . . recorded six assists against Stetson and pulled down nine rebounds on the road against Campbell . . . averaged 30 minutes per game . . . earned his first varsity letter. 2001-02: Redshirted. High School: Played for coaches Gary Looper and Tondrell Durham at Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City, Okla. . . . left-hander averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and four assists as a junior . . . shot 84 percent from the free-throw line . . . earned 4A All-State and first-team All-City honors . . . was a two-time All-Oklahoma State Tournament selection . . . led BMHS to its third-consecutive state championship in 2000 . . . BMHS only lost eight games in his final three years. Personal: Born July 16, 1982 . . . son of Paul and Suzy Merritt . . . father played football at Panhandle State College . . . younger brother, Joe Ross, is a sophomore on the Samford basketball team . . . older brother, John Paul, was one of the final two suitors featured on the 2005 season of ABC's hit TV show The Bachelorette . . . majoring in business management. ONE-ON-ONE WITH MERRITT |
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