Feb. 1, 2003

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - J. Robert Merritt and Eddie Harper each scored 14 points as Samford's furious second half comeback fell short 58-52 at the UCF Arena on Saturday night in Orlando.

The Bulldogs trailed 27-17 at the half, as the Bulldogs were held to their lowest halftime total of the season. Samford was 5-11 from three point range in the second half to get as close as four points at 56-52 on an Eddie Harper three-pointer with 17 seconds left. UCF's Ray Abellard hit a pair of free throws with 14 seconds to prove the final score.

Abellard had 13 points to lead the Golden Knights who improved to 15-7 overall and 7-2 in the Atlantic Sun. UCF has won the last three meetings in Orlando against the Bulldogs. Samford drops to 8-12 on the season and 4-5 in the A-Sun.

UCF used a 17-2 run over an 11 minute period in the half to build a 25-11 lead. Merritt ended the Bulldog drought with one of his three first half three-pointers with 1:40 left in the half. Samford had 10 turnovers and took 15 shots in the opening period. The Bulldogs were just 3-11 from three point range. The first half total was Samford lowest since scoring only 13 points in the first half at Jacksonville State on Jan. 22, 2002.

"We were our own worst enemy in the first half," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "In the second half we only committed two turnovers. We had the score right for us holding them to 58 points we just didn't take care of the ball in the first half."

UCF opened the second half on a 5-0 run to takes its largest lead at 32-17 before Sebastian Sachse was fouled on a dunk and converted the three-point play that began a 13-0 run that brought the Bulldogs to within 32-28 at the 13:20 mark. UCF answered with an 11-2 run to stretch the lead back to 43-30 at the 8:32 mark. The Bulldogs had one more run left as Phillip Ramelli banked in a three-pointer with 2:31 remaining to make the score 52-47. Free throw shooting proved to be the difference as both teams shot 47 percent from the floor in the game. UCF was 10-12 (83 percent) from the line while Samford was 4-7 (57 percent) from the stripe. The Knights out rebounded the Bulldogs 27-22. Samford is 0-11 when out rebounded by its opponents this season.

Samford will return home to face Stetson on Feb. 6 in a 7 p.m. game at Seibert Hall.