Box Score

NORMAL, Ill. - Samford center Phillip Ramelli scored a game high 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting but 25 turnovers cost the Bulldogs their fifth win of the season as Illinois State defeated Samford 65-54 at Redbird Arena in Division I-A basketball Saturday.

Ramelli tied Illinois State's (3-4) Vince Green with 14 points to lead all scorers. Samford (4-3) shot 55 percent from the floor to the Redbirds' 46 percent and both teams fired 33 percent from three-point range. The Bulldogs outrebounded ISU 25-20, but ISU knocked down 13 of 17 free throws in the second half while Samford shot none to secure the home win.

Samford extended a four-point halftime lead to its largest of seven, 34-27, just two minutes into the second half of play. The Bulldogs could not put the Redbirds away, however, as six Samford turnovers in eight minutes sparked an 18-5 run and gave ISU a 45-39 lead midway through the second period. Jon Mills knocked down a three-pointer to cut the ISU lead to 1, 46-45, but Samford never led again and ISU hit six consecutive free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

Eddie Harper knocked down two free throws with 13 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Bulldogs a 27-23 halftime lead. The first half was tightly contested, as the lead changed 13 times and the Bulldogs' halftime lead was the largest of the half.

Harper scored 10 points off the Samford bench as the only other Bulldog in double figures. Cornell Felton scored eight points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds and Chris Weaver added seven points. Mills and Corey Green each scored six and Illinois-native Bryan Boerjan scored three points.

Baboucarr Bojang scored 13 points and Dirk Williams added 10 for Illinois State.

Samford returns to action the week before Christmas, hosting Florida Atlantic on Dec. 17, UCF on Dec. 19 and Morehead State on Dec. 21.