KENT, Ohio --- With his team trailing by two points, 70-68, with mere seconds remaining, Samford’s Trey Montgomery attempted a last-second, game-tying runner from eight feet out against the Green Bay Phoenix on the second day of the 2009 Hispanic College Fund Classic. The Bulldogs’ leading scorer Saturday didn’t miss many shots en route to a team-high 20 points, but Montgomery’s buzzer-beater rimmed out in a hard-fought 70-68 loss at the Memorial Athletic Convocation (M.A.C.) Center.
Saturday’s two-point defeat marked the second-straight day that Samford (0-2) mounted a late comeback that fell just short in this weekend’s tournament. On Friday, the Bulldogs’ squared off against the homestanding Kent State Golden Flashes and lost by three points, 69-66.
Green Bay (1-1) picked up its first win of the season Saturday. On Friday, the Phoenix was defeated by UAB, 68-56. Samford and UAB will square off for the first time in 26 years Sunday at 1 p.m. (CST), in the teams’ final game of the 2009 Hispanic College Funds Classic.
With only 6:51 remaining Saturday, Samford trailed Green Bay by nine points, 60-51. The Bulldogs were then able to use four-straight points from Andy King and six points from Trey Montgomery to trim the Phoenix’s lead to 69-66 with 1:25 remaining.
Samford, which stymied Green Bay’s offensive attack with its 1-3-1 defense down the stretch, then used a steal by Montgomery and a free throw by the Bulldogs’ Destrehan, La., native to cut their deficit to one point, 69-68, with 39 seconds remaining.
Green Bay added a late free throw from Seth Evans to extend its lead to 70-68 before Samford’s final possession of the game.
After Evans missed his second free throw, the Bulldogs moved the ball down court with 20 seconds remaining. Samford worked through its offense for about 10 seconds then found Montgomery on the right flank. He dribbled quickly to his left, crossed over to his right, then seamlessly hesitated and faded to his right for an eight-foot jumper.
Montgomery’s buzzer-beating attempt hit the backboard first then found the right side of the rim and bounced off.
Despite missing the game’s final shot, Montgomery finished 7-of-11 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. He ended Saturday’s contest with a season-high 20 points.
Samford’s Josh Davis followed with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor. The Bulldogs’ junior from Lubbock, Texas, knocked down 5-of-7 attempts from 3-point range.
As a team, Samford shot 52.6 percent from beyond the arc, turning in a 10-for-19 performance from downtown. In two games this season, the Bulldogs are shooting at a 47.6 clip from 3-point range.
Even with Samford’s prowess from downtown, the Bulldogs’ performance was topped by Green Bay’s 12-of-21 night for a 57.1 percentage.
The Phoenix was paced offensively by three players scoring in double figures. Rahmon Fletcher led the way with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, while Troy Cotton added 18 points on a 7-of-12 performance from the floor. Cotton knocked down a team-high four 3-point field goals Saturday. Green Bay’s Cotton and Evans both added an additional three 3-pointers apiece.
Despite a seven-minute scoring draught midway through the first half, Samford only trailed Green Bay 35-30 at the intermission. The Bulldogs’ Davis tallied 13 opening-period points, including an NBA-range 3-pointer with the shot clock running out late in the half. He finished the first 20 minutes of play with three 3-point baskets.
Samford’s Montgomery added seven points in the first half of play.
Green Bay was buoyed in the opening period by Cotton. The Phoenix’s shooting guard finished the first half with 13 points, including 10-straight midway through the period.
