Cummings hits 4 3s, scores 21; Mercer beats Samford 74-69

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Ross Cummings hit four 3-pointers and finished with 21 points and Jordan Strawberry had 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals to help Mercer beat Samford 74-69 on Monday night.

Cummings, a sophomore who came in averaging 6.1 points per game, has scored in double figures in each of the last five games and has made 22 of 45 from 3-point range during that span. He is averaging 19.7 points during Mercer's three-game win streak.

Cory Kilby's and-1 dunk sparked a 9-0 run that made it 43-36 with 14 minutes left and the Bears (13-13, 6-7 Southern Conference) never again trailed. Alex Thompson's jumper seven minutes later capped a 7-0 spurt by Samford (9-19, 5-10) that made it 57-all, but Mercer hit 11 of 12 free throws and the Bulldogs missed 7 of 9 from the field from there to seal it.

Triston Chambers had 16 points, while Thompson and Josh Sharkey scored 15 apiece for the Bulldogs. Demetrius Denzel-Dyson and Justin Coleman -- Samford's leading scorers at 15.1 and 13.8 per game, respectively -- combined for eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.