Feb. 24, 2004

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Phillip Ramelli scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds but Jacksonville State handed the Bulldogs a 71-51 loss at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Tuesday night. Samford took just 41 shots while committing 17 turnovers in the loss.

Samford (11-15, 6-9 OVC) pulled to within 41-40 with 9:06 left to play before JSU's Trent Eager hit a jumper to spark a 12-0 Jacksonville State (13-13, 6-9 OVC) run. The run gave the Gamecocks a 53-40 lead with 4:43 remaining. The four-and-a-half minute drought was the Bulldogs' third scoreless stretch of four or more minutes on the evening.

In the first half, after leading 9-4, the Bulldogs went five-and-half minutes without a point as JSU went on a 9-0 run to take a 13-9 lead. Ramilli hit a three pointer to pull the game to 13-12 before Samford went another five minutes without a basket. During the drought, JSU stretched the lead to 23-12 with 6:31 remaining in the half. The Bulldogs ended the half on a 10-5 run and trailed 28-22 at the break.

"I thought this was the antithesis of our game on Saturday," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "We lost our focus and we were not assertive. They did a good job of taking us out of what we like to do and you can't win a game taking only 41 shots," he said.

Jacksonville State placed four players in double figures, led by Walker Russell with 18 points. Trent Eager and Scott Watson each had 15 points, while James Denson added 13 points.

Both teams traded baskets to start the second half before Samford Tyson Dorsey hit a three-pointer and J. Robert Merritt converted on one-of-two free throws to pull to within one point at 41-40.

JSU ended the game on an 8-0 run as it made eight-of-nine freee throws in the final 1:12. The Gamecocks benefited from 26 points off 17 Samford turnovers and shot 78 percent from the free throw line while Samford went just 10-19 from the foul line.

The game began with a technical foul on Jacksonville State's Abdou Diame for dunking during pre-game warm-ups. Ramelli made both free throws to give Samford a 2-0 lead before the opening tip, and it led to an early 9-4 Samford advantage before the Gamecocks' 9-0 run.

The Bulldogs will wrap-up the regular season on Thursday night against Tennessee State. Samford will honor its four seniors, Ramelli, Dorsey, Eddie Harper, and Sebastian Sachse before the 7 p.m. tip-off. The game can be heard in Birmingham on 91.1 FM, with the pre-game show beginning at approximately 6:45 pm.