Feb. 6, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jon Mills recorded career highs with 21 points and nine rebounds and Phillip Ramelli posted his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead Samford to a 79-71 Atlantic Sun Conference victory over Stetson Thursday night at Seibert Hall.

Ramelli just missed his first career triple-double as he finished with a career-high nine assists. J. Robert Merritt added 17 points to help the Bulldogs improve to 9-12 on the season and 5-5 in conference play.

Ravii Givens led four Hatters in double-figures with 21 points. Alexis McMillan had 16 points, E.J. Gordon had 15 points, and Josef McNeal added 11 points for Stetson as it fell to 4-15 on the year and 2-8 in the A-Sun.

The Bulldogs had their second highest first half output of the season as they took a 44-38 lead into halftime. Samford shot 62 percent from the floor in the first half and finished the game shooting 60 percent from the floor and 54 percent from three point range.

Stetson forced 22 Bulldog turnovers with 16 steals and forcing two 10 second violations. The Hatters had a 20-0 advantage in fast break points. Stetson used that advantage to take its first lead of the second half 67-66 at the 4:17 mark on free throw a by Givens. The visitors increased their lead to three points at 71-68 but Mills converted on a lay up with 2:31 to bring Samford to within 71-70. Ramelli put the Bulldogs up for good with a lay-up at the 1:21 mark and Mills supplied the dagger with a three-pointer with 48 seconds to put Samford up 75-71. Stetson was forced to foul and Ramelli converted on three of four from the line to give the Bulldogs their final margin of victory.

"This is the kind of game that will help us against the press down the road," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "We are a better team than we were in December. Jon had his best game of the season and I couldn't be happier for him. That was the kind of play that made him Freshman-of-the-Year last season and when Phillip is aggressive as he was tonight he is one of our best players."

Samford improved 7-0 when it shoots over 50 percent. The Bulldogs held the edge in rebounding 29-27 and are 6-1 when it out rebounds its opponents.

Stetson shot 38 percent from the floor, 27 percent from three-point range, and shot 26-27 for 96 percent from the foul line.

Samford will return to action at home on Saturday as it faces Jacksonville at 2 p.m. in Seibert Hall.