CHARLESTON, S.C. – Senior Kaelon Harris was back to his old tricks Saturday afternoon, recording his ninth double-double of the season, leading all scorers with 23 points and 12 rebounds, but it was not enough as The Citadel basketball team dropped a Southern Conference game, 74-62, to Samford.

Game Information
Final Score: Samford 74, The Citadel 62
Records: Samford (9-19, 3-11 SoCon), The Citadel (6-19, 0-14 SoCon)
Location: Charleston, S.C. (McAlister Field House)
Series: Samford leads, 13-12

KEY STATS

• The two teams traded the lead back and forth six times in the first three minutes of action after Fletcher Abee opened the game with a layup for the home 'Dogs.
• By the first media timeout, Samford's lead was nine, 16-7, but a 9-0 run from The Citadel, including a Rudy Fitzgibbons, III 3-pointer and fast-break layup, knotted the score up at 16-all.
• After Samford went up by four, 21-17 with 10 minutes left in the first half, Kaiden Rice spurred a 7-0 run to put the Bulldogs back on top, and once again the two teams traded the lead back and forth.
• With just under two minutes left in the first half, Rice hit one of his two 3-pointers to put The Citadel up by three, and by the time the horn sounded, the 'Dogs were up by six, 37-31.
• Samford scored the first points of the second half as they started with the ball first, but Abee hit a 3-pointer from the corner and Derek Webster, Jr. came up with the steal on the in-bound play. Abee managed to get an offensive rebound on the resulting layup and put the ball back up for a nine-point, 42-33 Citadel advantage.
• The home Bulldogs managed to hold the lead until Logan Dye scored a layup with 10 minutes left, putting Samford up by just one, 55-54.
• After Abee hit a fast-break layup with 7:26 left in regulation, Samford went on an 8-0 run to extend the lead out to double digits, and the visiting Bulldogs managed to hold on in the closing minutes for the 12-point win, despite The Citadel closing to within six, 68-62, after Harris hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game.
• The Citadel shot 33.8% (22-of-65) from the field for the game, but Samford connected on 43.1% (25-of-58) of their looks from the field.
• The home Bulldogs converted 10 3-pointers for the second straight game.
• Harris led all players both in scoring and rebounding, marking the fifth time this season he has led The Citadel in scoring. Harris went 4-for-9 (.444) from beyond the 3-point arc.
• Abee netted 14 points, including converting a pair of 3-pointers, and Fitzgibbons scored 10 points.
• Harris, Webster, Stephen Clark and Brady Spence all recorded a block in the game.
• Josh Sharkey led Samford with 18 points and added eight assists and 10 turnovers.

NOTES

• Saturday's double-double was the ninth of the season for Harris, and the 10^th of his career. He is now in sole possession of fourth in program history for single-season double-doubles, and Harris tied ninth in program history for career double-doubles.
• With his two made 3-pointers against Samford, Rice is now tied for ninth in program history with 176 career made 3-pointers.
• Rice's 73 made 3-pointers this season move him into the top 15 in program history for single-season treys made. He matches the 11^th spot, including Citadel great Zach Urbanus' 2007-08 season.
• Abee's 14 points scored give him 301 on the year. He is now 10 points scored away from eighth in program history for points scored by a freshman.
• Abee's two made 3-pointers give him 65 on the year. He tied fifth in program history for 3-pointers made by a freshman. He is seven away from fourth and eight away from fifth.
• Tyson Batiste recorded four assists Saturday afternoon, giving him 135 on the year. The mark moves him up to eighth in program history for single-season assists. Batiste needs three more to match sixth and 18 more to crack the top five.
• With his one blocked shot against Samford, Clark has swatted away 11 shots this season. He is two away from cracking the top 15 for blocks by a freshman.

COMING UP
The Citadel will next host Chattanooga on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. The 'Dogs will then travel to Western Carolina for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff on Saturday, Feb. 22.

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