Bulldogs Winning Streak Extends to 9, Beating Belmont
The Samford Bulldogs prove they belong with the top mid-major programs in a 99-93 win over the Belmont Bruins. We are not trying to be the next Belmont, we are trying to be better. Bulldogs get their ninth straight win which is the longest winning streak since the 1998-1999 team won 13 straight.
Samford finished with six players scoring in double figures which is an impressive feat. A big contributor was freshman C Riley Allenspach had 15 points and played big minutes when Achor Achor was in foul trouble. Allenspach showed his ability to run the floor while also showing how well he could score in the paint.
Even more impressive was this team putting up 99 points when star F Jermaine Marshall only had six points. His shot was not falling but Marshall impacted the game in many other ways. He finished with 12 rebounds and no other Samford player had more than six. This team is just so dynamic when he is out there on the floor.
G Garrett Hicks also played his best game scoring-wise putting up 12 points and he too showed some of that AJ Staton-McCray fearlessness attacking the rim.
Speaking of Staton-McCray, he led the way with 19 points and is just so explosive getting downhill and finding multiple ways to finish around the basket. He plays with so much confidence and head coach Bucky McMillan lets AJ be AJ.
Staton-McCray was asked by Samford Scoop how freeing that is knowing his coach has that kind of confidence in him.
“Very fun, but it always starts on the defensive end. If you’re not playing defense and not playing aggressively on defense, it’s hard to showcase your offensive talents. It’s freeing knowing you can attack whenever and the offense plays unselfish.”
Staton-McCray uses a great word there to describe this team, unselfish. That is something we asked Bucky McMillan previously about how well this team shares the basketball.
As mentioned prior, Samford has won nine straight as many different guys have stepped up in key spots and also in lieu of others being injured. Samford Scoop asked Bucky McMillan about that and what has impressed him the most during this stretch.
“Just improvement, people can get too high or too low. Stick with what you do, just keep getting better at it and that’s where you will see the good teams improve throughout the year, because they have an identity. When it is changing every game, you never have an identity. I know this, our players know what we are, I know what we are, fans know what we are. It’s fun to play when you know you have players that have freedom to attack on offense and defense.”
Well we do know what this Samford team is, they are going to play extremely fast offensively and wear you down defensively. Samford is third in the entire country in adjusted tempo per KenPom. This team is also very deep and can play as many as 10 players, the same way McMillan’s Mountain Brook teams were.
It is a fun and exciting brand of basketball that everyone should check out. The Winter Soldier is out doing what he does best, winning basketball games. We do not want to be the next Belmont, we want to be better.
Samford finally goes back on the road as they will play at Valparaiso on Tuesday and Texas Southern on Thursday.
