Samford University’s women’s basketball team will be making its first appearance in the NCAA tournament after securing for the first time in program history the Southern Conference (SoCon) championship title March 7 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
After having trailed for most of the championship game against top seed Appalachian State University, the Bulldogs pulled out a win with just seconds left. Samford junior guard Paige Anderson hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds to go to give the Bulldogs a one-point lead.
“I didn’t really think about it,” Anderson said. “I saw Emily (London) making her moves that she always makes. I just curled around in case she didn’t get open. She gets open a lot like that and she threw me the ball and I shot it.”
With six seconds left and a one-point Samford lead, Appalachian’s Ashlen Dewart had the opportunity to make two free throws and secure the win and the title for the Mountaineers.
She missed, and freshman Shelby Campbell, an exercise science major, rebounded for the Bulldogs.
After a foul, Campbell shot and made two free throws for the Bulldogs with three seconds left in the game to push the lead to 57–54.
After a struggle in Appalachian paint, the time expired and the Bulldogs won with a 57–54 final score.
Samford head coach Mike Morris was emotional and excited as he watched each player on his team cut down a piece from one of the nets.
“I can’t say enough about our team and our players,” he said. “This is what it’s all about, watching players climb the ladder and cut down the nets. I can’t say enough about our team and their performance for this entire tournament.”
London, a senior guard who scored 12 points in the championship game, expressed her excitement about the win.
“Winning the conference tournament is an unbelievable feeling,” she said. “I’m just so proud of my teammates. I couldn’t have asked to be a part of a better program.”
In addition to the conference title, London and senior nursing major Savannah Hill earned spots on the All-Conference and All-Tournament teams. London also received SoCon Sports Media Association Player of the Year prior to the tournament, and Hill was named Outstanding Player of the Tournament.
London leads the NCAA in free throw percentage with 93.2 percent and ranks second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage at 48 percent.
“We will continue to work hard and prepare for the NCAA tournament,” London said.
“The season isn’t over yet, and we’re all so excited to be Samford Bulldogs.”
At press time, the Bulldogs, which had improved to 25–7 — the most wins in program history — had not learned where they will go for the NCAA tournament, which begins March 17. (Compiled from Samford stories)
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