NICEVILLE, FLA. — Sophomore guard Ques Glover scored a career-high 25 points, including 10 straight points down the stretch, as Samford held off North Carolina A&T, 77-75 , in the second round of the Emerald Coast Classic Friday at Raider Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College.
Clinging to a 70-66 lead Glover hit four straight free throws along with a jump in a two-minute span allowing Samford to improve its record to 4-1. Glover made all 12 free throw attempts in the game.
Samford will face McNeese at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, while North Carolina A&T will play St. Francis Brooklyn at 12:30 p.m.
Jaden Campbell came off the bench to add 15 points, including 12 in the first half.
Sophomore forward Jermaine Marshall pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds for Samford which outrebounded North Carolina A&T, 37-30.
Demetric Horton and Marcus Watson scored 24 and 22 points respectively for North Carolina A&T which fell to 1-6.
A dunk by Webster Filmore off a lob pass from Horton pulled North Carolina A&T within 74-73 with 22.3 seconds left.
But Glover countered with two free throws to push Samford’s lead to 76-73 with 13.8 seconds left. Two free throws by David Beatty pulled the Aggies within 76-75 with 11 seconds remaining.
Marshall made one of two free throws with 10 seconds to account for the final margin.
Each team made 12 three-point baskets in the inaugural meeting between the schools.
“We are just glad to come out on top,” said Samford head coach Bucky McMillan..”Our team is a young group. We aren’t out here to win an Oscar, we are here to try and win a basketball game. Sometimes, you have to get it done ugly. I was really proud of our guys stepping up, shooting 81 percent from the free throw line.
“Credit to North Carolina A&T. They played well and were resilient. They made some big threes. I don’t think that was a strength coming in and they shot over 50 percent from three to get them back into the game. If you would have told me they shot 52 percent from three coming into the game, I don’t know if we get the job done or not. But, our guys found a way to get it done so I’ll take it.”Guard Kameron Langley played a solid floor game for North Carolina A&T setting an Emerald Coast Classic tournament record with 15 assists and four steals
