Jan. 4, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Adam Sonn made a lay-up and converted a free throw with 19 seconds remaining to give Belmont a 52-51 Atlantic Sun Conference victory over Samford after Cornell Felton's last second three pointer rimmed out Saturday afternoon at Seibert Hall.

Sonn finished with a game-high 17 points and 16 rebounds. Adam Mark added 15 points and Brian Collins 10 points to lead the Bruins who improved to 5-7 on the year and 1-0 in the Atlantic Sun.

Jon Mills scored 11 points on 3-6 shooting from three-point range to lead the Bulldogs who dropped to 4-8 and 0-1 in the A-Sun.

Mills connected on a three-pointer with 50 seconds to play to give Samford a 51-49 lead. On Belmont's next possession, they set up a play for Sonn who was being guarded by Phillip Ramelli who was playing with four fouls. Sonn drove to the basket and laid the ball in with his right hand as Ramelli fouled him. Sonn was only 3-7 from the free throw line but made the one that gave the Bruins the one-point lead.

On Samford's next possession, Mills took an off balanced three-pointer from the corner which was rebounded by Sonn with five seconds to play. Sonn missed both free throws that gave Felton a chance at the buzzer. Felton's 25-foot jumper from in front of the Samford bench rimmed off to give Belmont the victory.

Samford led the game 30-27 at halftime but shot only 33 percent in the second half from the floor. Once again Samford's opponent made more free throws than the Bulldogs attempted in the game a trend in three of Samford's last four games. Belmont shot 15-21 (71.4 percent) from the line while the Bulldogs were just 5-12 (41.7 percent) from the line. Belmont shot 46 percent from the floor in the game while Samford shot 40 percent. Samford did make 8-21 (38 percent) from three point range in the game while Belmont was just 3-8 (37 percent) from long range.

Samford had its largest lead at 34-27 with 18:22 to play before Belmont went on an 11-2 run over the next eight minutes to take a 38-36 lead at the 10:57 mark. From that point on neither team had more than a three-point lead the rest of the way. The game was tied seven times in the second half.

The Bulldogs will try and end its longest losing streak in 12 years when they travel to Buies Creek, N.C. on Thursday to face Campbell University at 7 p.m. ET.