Feb. 18, 2004

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Austin Peay shot 61 percent from the floor in the second half and made eight-of-13 three-pointers in the game to extend its winning streak to 14-straight games with a 68-46 victory over Samford at Seibert Hall on Wednesday.

Austin Peay (17-7, 14-0) heads into Saturday's ESPN bracket buster match-up with Wichita State allowing its opponents to score less than 60 points per game. Samford (10-14, 5-8) has lost five straight and has failed to score 60 points in its last four games.

The Governors held a 20-19 lead at halftime after a Jerry Smith three-pointer at the first half buzzer rimmed out. APSU began the second period with a 5-0 run but the Bulldogs responded with a pair of three-pointers the last by Eddie Harper that gave Samford a 29-27 lead with 15:22 to play.

APSU took control of the game with an 11-1 run over the next four minutes. The Govs were 6-of-7 from behind the arc in the second half. Anthony Davis was 4-for-4 from long range and finished with a game-high 18 points, 13 coming in the second half. Josh Jones and Maurice Hampton each had 12 points and Rhet Wierzba added 10 points and eight rebounds. APSU out-rebounded Samford 35-21 and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

"We were a better basketball team a week and a half ago when we played at Austin Peay," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "We can not continue to go through the motions and expect to be successful. I think we are allowing ourselves to become dispirited because we are not making shots and that is carrying over to the defensive end. The most competitive player on the court for us tonight was a freshman, Jerry Smith."

Phillip Ramelli led the Bulldogs with 16 points while Harper added 11 points all in the second half. Smith matched his career-high pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Samford who is seventh in nation in field goal percentage shot 36 percent from the floor marking the third-straight game the Bulldogs have shot under 40 percent.

Samford will return to action on Saturday as it hosts Tennessee Tech in the OVC game of the Week that will broadcast on FOX Sports Net beginning at 2 p.m.