Dec. 1, 2001

Box Score

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TROY, Ala. - Senior guard Chris Weaver scored 15 points to lead five Bulldogs in double figures as Samford defeated Troy State 68-65 in Atlantic Sun Conference basketball action Saturday at Trojan Arena.

Samford (4-2, 2-0) opens the Atlantic Sun (formerly Trans America Athletic) Conference 2-0 for the second time in Jimmy Tillette's five-year tenure at Samford. The Bulldogs' win over Troy State also gives them consecutive conference road victories, as Samford knocked off Mercer 69-60 in Macon on Nov. 29. Samford's wins place should place them in a tie for first place in the conference with Florida Atlantic and gives them early victories over teams picked second and fourth in the A-Sun preseason coaches' poll.

Individually, Jon Mills played a career-high 38 minutes and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds in his first collegiate start, as he started for injured sophomore forward Sebastian Sachse. Mills also scored 12 points, the second time in his brief career that he's scored in double figures.

Corey Green scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Phillip Ramelli and Eddie Harper each scored 10. Harper's points may have been the difference for the Bulldogs, as Samford's bench outscored Troy State's, 10-7.

Samford outrebounded an opponent for the second time this season, grabbing 33 boards to the Trojans' 25. The Bulldogs committed 18 turnovers to TSU's six but dished out 16 assists to only nine for TSU. Samford shot 53 percent (23-of-43) from the field, its second-best effort of the season, and a season-high 46 percent (13-28) from the three-point line. Troy State shot 83 percent from the free throw line to Samford's 69 percent and outscored the Bulldogs 18-2 in points off turnovers.

TSU's Lemayn Wilson led all scorers with 30 points, including 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Robert Rushing added 19 points as the only other Trojan in double figures.

Samford weathered the Trojans' initial storm at Trojan Arena, as TSU (3-2, 1-1) jumped out to a 7-0 lead behind five points from Lemayn Wilson and a basket by Robert Rushing. The Bulldogs got into the game as Corey Green knocked down a three-pointer and Phillip Ramelli scored to cut the TSU lead to 7-5. Samford's first points were part of a 19-11 run that gave the Bulldogs their first lead, 19-18, on a layup by Ramelli at the 10:37 mark of the first half.

Samford regained the lead less than a minute later when Eddie Harper knocked down his eighth point with 9:56 remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs never trailed again for the rest of the game, leading by as many as 12 in the first half and taking a 10-point lead, 36-26,into halftime.

The Trojans turned up the heat defensively in the second half, as they chipped away at the Bulldog lead while forcing 11 Bulldog turnovers. TSU made one last run at the Bulldogs, a 10-4 spurt that cut the Samford lead to 67-65 with 15 second remaining in the game. After a made free throw by Green gave the Bulldogs the 68-65 lead, Lemayn Wilson's three-point attempt and the Trojans' comeback attempt came up short.

Samford does not play for a week but remains on the road as the Bulldogs travel to Normal, Ill., to face the Illinois State Redbirds on Dec. 8.