Jan. 18, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Cornell Felton matched his career-high with nine assists, the last one feeding Eddie Harper on a back-door lay-up with 4.1 seconds remaining to give Samford an 80-78 Atlantic Sun basketball victory over Georgia State at Seibert Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Samford shot 70.5 percent from the floor and an incredible 83 percent in the second half to even its Atlantic Sun mark at 2-2 and improve to 6-9 overall. Tyson Dorsey drained his fifth three-pointer of the afternoon to give the Bulldogs a 78-75 lead with 31 seconds to play. Leroy Long tied the game for the ninth time with a three from the top of the arc with 21 seconds left.

The Bulldogs ran the play they call chin knowing they could have the last shot of regulation. Harper's man got caught up in a screen and Felton found him under the basket for the final two points. Georgia State's could not get off a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer. The Panthers fell to 7-8 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

Dorsey led the Bulldogs 17 points as Samford had its second largest point production of the season. The Bulldogs scored 90 against North Georgia on Nov. 27. Phillip Ramelli and J. Robert Merritt each scored 13 points and Jon Mills added 11 points before fouling out with 54 seconds to play.

Georgia State also placed four players in double figures. Lamont McIntosh had 18 points, Davis had 17, Nate Williams 16, and Reo Logan had 10 points for the Panthers who shot 51 percent from the floor in defeat.

The first half saw six ties and four lead changes. Samford had the largest lead of the half 20-12 at the 11:00 mark. GSU answered with a 15-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 27-20 lead. Samford then answered with an 11-4 run to tie the game at 31, but GSU scored the final four points of the half to take a 35-31 lead into halftime.

Samford used a 14-5 run midway through the second half sparked by a trio of three pointers to take its largest lead of the game at 69-58 with 6:42 to play. Once against Georgia State turned up the pressure which forced 15 Samford turnovers in the game. GSU went on a 13-3 run to pull to within one point at 72-71 to set up the dramatic final three minutes.

Samford finished the game 31-44 from the floor and 11-18 (61 percent) from three-point range. The Bulldogs were 7-10 from the free throw line. Georgia State was 29-57 from the floor, 5-14 (36 percent) from long range, and 15-18 (83 percent) from the stripe. The Panthers out rebounded the Bulldogs on the offensive glass 11-3 but the total rebounds were even at 22 each.

The Bulldogs continue conference play at home on Monday night when Jacksonville State comes to Seibert Hall. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.