Jan 9, 2003

Box Score

BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Phillip Ramelli scored 17 points and had 10 rebounds to become the first Samford player to regisiter a double-double since the 1990-91 season and J. Robert Merritt added 13 points as the Bulldogs ended a six-game losing streak with a 62-53 victory in front of a standing room only crowd of 1,079 at Carter Gym on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs shot 45 percent from the floor and 82 percent from the line to improve to 5-8 on the year and 1-1 in the Atlantic Sun.

Tarick Johnson led Campbell with 16 points as the Camels dropped to 3-9 and 0-3 in the A-Sun.

Samford jumped out to a 7-0 lead on three uncontested lay ups before Brooks Lee hit a three-pointer to but the Camels on the board. The Bulldogs built an eight point lead three times in the first half, the first at 15-7, as the Bulldogs made seven of their first nine shots. Campbell pulled to as close as three points at 20-17 at the first media timeout that came at 10:40. Samford ended the half on a 12-7 run to take a 32-24 lead into the locker room. Ramelli led all scorers in the first half with 13 points. Lee had a trio of three pointers for nine points at the break. Samford shot 47 percent in the first half to 40 percent for the Camels.

The Bulldogs began the second half on 9-3 run to take their largest lead at 41-27 with 15:55 to play. Campbell's Jonte' Edwards made a free throw at 14:06 to make the score 44-34 and both teams went on a three minute drought before Edwards ended the drought with back-to-back baskets to force a Samford timeout with 9:56 and the score 44-38. Ramelli ended Samford's five minute scoreless streak. Campbell missed five of its first eight free throws as the Bulldogs pushed the lead to 50-41 with 6:52 to play. Jon Mills converted on a pair of free throws and a lay-up to give the Bulldogs their largest lead at 56-44 with 1:32 to play. Samford made 6-8 free throws in the final minute and were 9-11 in the game. Campbell finished the game shooting 42 percent from the floor but were just 4-10 from the free throw line missing a number of chances make the game close.

Samford will travel to Gardner-Webb on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off in Boiling Springs, N.C..