Samford Defeats East Tennessee State 82-72 in OT

Dylan Faulkner scores 24 points to lead Bulldogs to victory

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Dylan Faulkner scored 24 points and added 10 rebounds and 3 blocks as Samford defeated East Tennessee State 82-72 in overtime on Saturday. Jadin Booth scored 19 points and Cade Norris added 14 points for the Bulldogs. Brian Taylor II led East Tennessee State with 28 points.

Why it matters

This was an important Southern Conference matchup between two teams with winning records. The overtime victory keeps Samford in the hunt for a top seed in the conference tournament, while the loss drops East Tennessee State out of first place in the standings.

The details

The game was tied at 68 at the end of regulation, but Samford scored the first 8 points of overtime at the free-throw line and Zion Wilburn's 3-pointer gave the Bulldogs a 79-68 lead with just over a minute remaining to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Dylan Faulkner

A forward for Samford who scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots in the win.

Jadin Booth

A guard for Samford who scored 19 points and had 4 steals.

Cade Norris

A guard for Samford who shot 2-for-4 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points.

Brian Taylor II

A guard for East Tennessee State who led all scorers with 28 points and had 2 steals.

Blake Barkley

A forward for East Tennessee State who scored 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

Samford's overtime victory keeps them in the hunt for a top seed in the Southern Conference tournament, while the loss drops East Tennessee State out of first place in the standings. The Bulldogs' balanced scoring attack and strong defensive effort proved to be the difference in this closely contested matchup.