Noles Use Strong Second Half To Pull Away, Topple Samford

TALLAHASSEE - Samford's undermanned team was like a Sunday afternoon house guest that dropped by unannounced and then wouldn't leave. Florida State kept dropping hints that it was time for the pesky Bulldogs to disappear, but they wouldn't listen for much of the game.

FSU finally showed Samford the door in the second half of its 61-45 victory, forcing the Bulldogs into 11 turnovers after halftime with a mixture of pressure defense and superior athleticism.

"They made us look more disorganized than the BCS," Samford coach Jimmy Tillette said.

FSU (8-2) trailed by as many as four points in the first half and the Bulldogs (2-4) tied the game 21-all on a pair of free throws by Trey Montgomery with 3:09 left before halftime. Running a half-court offense that relies on patience and precision cutting for back-door layups or open 3-point shots, Samford frustrated the Noles early with its Princeton-like attack.

FSU was prepared for Samford's slow-it-down offensive approach, but when the Bulldogs refused to pick up their tempo even after breaking FSU's pressure, FSU was forced to play more Samford's style than its own.

"They kind of threw us a curveball," Noles coach Leonard Hamilton said. "Our intent was to full-court press and trap, and force the tempo. That didn't work out. It was good work for us, having to play against a system that challenges all your defensive principles."

After Montgomery's free throws tied the game, FSU closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 27-21 halftime lead. The Noles then turned up the defensive pressure to take a 39-27 lead on a 3-point play from guard Ralph Mims. Samford closed to within 45-37 on Josh Bedwell's 3-pointer with 8:05 left, but a 14-0 run by the Noles put the game out of reach.

During the late stretch, FSU guard Toney Douglas and forward Uche Echufu each scored five points.

"It was all mental for us," Douglas said. "You can't let a team like that get ahead of you. They ran their system. It was working in the first half."

That frustrated FSU guard Isaiah Swann, who finished with nine points and a game-high nine rebounds.

"It should not happen," Swann said. "We should be able to set the tone every game."

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088

INSIDE THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE GAME: FSU senior G Jason Rich came off the bench and provided much-needed energy, contributing nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

STAT OF THE GAME: Samford failed terribly behind the 3-point line, hitting just six of 28 shots from long distance.

TURNING POINT: Nursing a 27-23 lead early in the second half, FSU went on a 11-2 run - capped by back-to-back baskets by Rich - to finally take charge.

UP NEXT: FSU hosts Maine on Saturday at 7 p.m.