Feb. 2, 2002

Box Score

Box Score
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Wes Burtner scored 15 points to lead four Belmont players in double figures as the Bruins picked up a 64-62 road win over Samford in Atlantic Sun Conference basketball Saturday at Seibert Hall.

Despite scoring only three points in the last 7:13 of the first half, Belmont (9-11, 6-7 A-Sun) led 31-26 at halftime. The Bruins extended their lead to seven in the second half before Samford (11-11, 8-6 A-Sun) made a 12-4 push of its own and took its first lead with 12:20 remaining in the game. The Bulldogs' largest lead was five, 53-48, with 7:13 left, but Belmont would not go away. A 9-3 run over three minutes regained the lead for the Bruins at 57-56 with 4:31 remaining, and the game would remain within a basket the rest of the way.

Trailing 63-61 with 1:21 remaining, Samford's Eddie Harper knocked down a free throw but missed the second to cut Belmont's lead to one. Corey Green forced a turnover by Steve Drabyn with :46 on the clock, but neither Harper nor Cornell Felton could drain a three-pointer for the win.

Chris Weaver score 17 points and Phillip Ramelli added 13 with a career-high of six assists in the loss for Samford. Adam Mark and Adam Sonn each scored 13 and Drabyn added 12 for Belmont. Green also set a career high in rebounds with a game-high 13.

The loss is Samford's fourth straight and fifth in the last seven games. It also marks the first four-game losing streak, conference or overall, in five seasons under Jimmy Tillette.

The Bulldogs did not shoot poorly as in their last two games, firing 60 percent in the second half to finish the game with a .521 field goal pct. Defense was Samford's undoing on Saturday as Belmont beat Samford at its own game, scoring 24 of 26 points in the paint on layups. The Bruins shot 54 percent from the field overall and 53 percent from three-point range, knocking down eight of 15. Samford made seven of its 20 three-point attempts (.350). Belmont committed only eight turnovers to 21 assists, and outscored the Bulldogs 18-8 on points off turnovers. Samford has 18 assists to 12 turnovers.

Of the Bulldogs' five losses in the last seven games, four have come to teams with combined records of 14-24 in conference play.

Samford gets two chances to move up in the conference standings as the Bulldogs host Jacksonville at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7, and Stetson at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9.