Feb. 6, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Noot Pittman scored a career-high 17 points and Samford outscored Stetson, 36-22, in the second half as the Bulldogs rallied to defeat the Hatters, 52-48, in Atlantic Sun Women's Basketball action at Seibert Hall Thursday night. It was the Bulldogs' (5-14, 1-7 A-Sun) first conference win of the season.

Che' Walker scored 10 points as Samford's post players combined for 36 of the Bulldogs 52 points. Kristy Brown scored 11 points to lead three Stetson (4-15, 3-5 A-Sun) players in double figures. Samford shot 48 percent including 56 percent from 3-point range in the second half to overcome a 26-16 halftime deficit.

Giovanni Price and Chelsee Insell combined for three 3-pointers in the opening minutes of the second half to spark a 13-2 run, giving Samford a 29-28 lead with 15:18 remaining. Lindsey Harris nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to give Samford its largest lead, 43-34, with 10:36 left capping a 27-8 run in the first 10 minutes.

Pittman's lay-up made it 45-36 with 7:55 left. The Hatters went on a 7-3 run to trail 48-43 with 4:52 left in the game. Pittman made another lay-up extending the Bulldog lead to 50-43 with 4:07 on the clock. Renee Barnes converted a lay-up and Linda Palonen hit a 3-pointer pulling the Hatters within 50-48 with 2:25 left. Both teams went cold, until, Cora Beth Smith made two free throws with three seconds remaining to seal the win for the Bulldogs.

Stetson jumped out to 12-0 lead on its way to a 26-16 halftime lead. The Hatters held Samford without a field goal in the first 10 minutes of the game to stake a 16-2 lead with 10:33 left before halftime. Pittman scored the Bulldogs first field goal of the game with 9:56 on the clock to cut the deficit to 16-5.

Brown's lay-up and Michelle Garcia's free throws gave Stetson a 22-7 lead with 5:43 remaining, but Samford went on a 5-0 run to get within 22-14 with 3:32 left in the first half.

Stetson finished the game shooting 35 percent from the field. The Hatters only shot 30 percent in the second half. Joslyn Giles and Renee Barnes each scored 10 points for Stetson. Price and Lindsey Harris each added nine points for Samford.

The Bulldogs continue cross-divisional play when they travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to play Jacksonville at 1p.m. Saturday.