Nov. 20, 2008

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - For the third-consecutive game, the Samford University basketball team shot at least 50 percent from the field Thursday as the Bulldogs streaked to a 73-54 victory against the Campbellsville Tigers at the Pete Hanna Center. Samford turned in a season-high 56.3 shooting percentage in the win.

"Well, I hope we can keep shooting this well until 2012," joked Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "I'm not surprised that we're shooting the ball this well, but I also wouldn't be surprised if we happened to shoot 30 percent on Monday. Overall, we've been shooting the ball a lot better this season. We're shooting the ball better in practice and in scrimmages, and now it's translating over to games."

Samford (2-1) is shooting 52.7 percent from the field this year, including a staggering 53.6 percent when playing at home in the Pete Hanna Center. The Bulldogs are also shooting at a 47.1 percent (24-of-51) mark from beyond the arc at home.

With Thursday's win, Samford extended its winning streak to two games. On Monday, the Bulldogs breezed to a 72-52 victory against Spring Hill College.

Samford knocked down 10-of-19 three-point attempts for a season-record 52.6 percent versus Campbellsville (1-2) on Monday. The loss was Campbellsville's worst of the 2008-09 regular season.

"We have great shooters on this team when they get their feet set," Tillette said. "I'm never surprised when the ball goes in and we're getting a lot better looks this season, because we're pushing the ball up the floor more. We're playing with a faster tempo and it's really helped to get some better looks from beyond the arc."

Samford finished Thursday's game with four players scoring in double figures. The Bulldogs were led by sophomore center Andy King's 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. The 6-foot-8 native of Omaha, Neb., also knocked down three 3-point baskets and handed out two assists.

Guards Trey Montgomery and Josh Davis both finished with 13 points apiece, while sophomore sharpshooter Josh Bedwell tallied 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the floor.

Montgomery, Samford's 6-foot-4 point guard from Destrehan, La., finished one rebound shy of a double-double Monday as he finished the game with 13 points, nine boards, four assists and a steal. He also shot 5-of-7 from the field and knocked down his only 3-point attempt of the night.

"I was just playing hard and doing my best to win the game," said Montgomery. "I'm never too focused on stats. I just want to do whatever I can to help my team win. Tonight, I thought that we played with a lot of effort and we played smart as a team."

Davis paced the Bulldogs with 11 of his 13 points in the first half. Samford's 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Lubbock, Texas, was a near-perfect 5-of-6 from the field and an unblemished 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Davis has been the Bulldogs' top shooter this season with an 80-percent (12-of-15) mark from the floor and a 77.8-percent (7-of-9) tally from beyond the arc.

Early in the first half of play, Samford's Bedwell scored four-straight points to give the Bulldogs a 20-10 lead with 11:49 remaining in the period. Samford then went on to take its largest advantage of the opening half into the intermission at 39-22.

Davis led the Bulldogs with 11 first-half points, while Campbellsville was paced by nine points from guard Aaron Wyatt.

Midway through the second half, Samford took its largest lead of the game following a pair of free throws from Bedwell. With 11:19 in the non-conference matchup, the Bulldogs earned a decisive 59-33 advantage and never led by any fewer than 17 points (64-47) until finishing with the 73-54 victory.

Campbellsville's Wyatt registered a team-high 11 points, but was limited to two in the second half of play. The Tigers' leading scorer Zach Allender was also held to 12 points below his season average.

"He (Allender) is a very good player," said King. "He's very crafty, especially around the goal and we knew that he was going to be tough to guard. We were just trying to limit his touches and not let him get the ball down low. When he did touch the ball, I thought we did a good job of not giving him a crease to the rim so that he could score."

The Samford University basketball team will next be in action Monday at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs conclude their early-season, three-game homestand against the Lipscomb Bisons in a non-conference matchup to be held at the Pete Hanna Center.