Feb. 19, 2005

Box Score

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - In a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference on Saturday, the Samford University basketball team dropped a hard-fought contest on the road, 70-62, against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles here at the Eblen Center.

"I thought that we played hard tonight," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "I thought that we executed very well in the first half, except at the very end, when I think that we ended the half poorly. At halftime, I told them to forget about how we ended the half and to come out in the second period as the aggressor. We just didn't do that. Tennessee Tech sped us up and they played a whole lot more energetic in the second half."

Samford (14-11, 9-5 OVC) had two players finish in double-digit scoring on Saturday, but was outscored 44-24 in the second half of play.

The Bulldogs' J. Robert Merritt scored a team-high 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and also grabbed four rebounds. Senior forward Jon Mills added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists in his first start since injuring his eye against Morehead State on Feb. 12.

Tennessee Tech (15-10, 10-4 OVC) opened the second half of play with a 16-0 run and improved to an unblemished 11-0 record at home this season. The Golden Eagles were led by 24 points and six steals from senior Willie Jenkins.

Jenkins, Tennessee Tech's Preseason OVC Player of the Year, finished Saturday's contest shooting 8-of-19 from the field.

At the half, Samford held a 38-26 lead in the game behind a season-high 10 first-half 3-point baskets.

The Bulldogs shot a torrid 66.7 percent from beyond the arc and were led by nine points from Merritt. Samford's 6-6 junior from Oklahoma City, Okla., finished the first half shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field, with all three of his shots coming from 3-point range.

The score was knotted at 7-7 with 11:49 remaining in the first half before the Bulldogs clamped down on defense and streaked to a 25-9 run.

Samford's Jon Mills knocked down his second-straight 3-point basket at the 4:01 mark in the opening half and gave the Bulldogs a significant 32-16 advantage. Mills, a 6-7 forward from Winfield, Ala., finished the game with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field.

The Samford University basketball team will next be in action on Tuesday as the Bulldogs host in-state rival Jacksonville State at 7 p.m., in Seibert Hall.

Prior to the game, Samford's four seniors: Bryan Boerjan, Beau Green, Josh Hare and Jon Mills, will be honored for their hard work and dedication towards the Bulldog basketball program. The women's basketball team will also host Jacksonville State on Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m.