Pirates Remain Unbeaten in MEAC
GREENSBORO, N.C.—The Hampton University men’s basketball is still undefeated in MEAC play after Saturday afternoon’s 79-62 win over North Carolina A&T at the Corbett Sports Center.
The Pirates, winners of four straight, are now 9-7 overall and 5-0 in the MEAC.
Reginald Johnson, Jr. led three Pirates in double figures with 29 points, going 11-for-20 from the floor and hitting six 3-pointers. He also dished out a team- and career-high seven assists and grabbed a team-high (and career high-tying) nine rebounds. Brian Darden chipped in 17 points, hitting four 3-pointers.
Quinton Chievous added 10 points and six boards, going 4-for-7 from the floor.
The Pirates shot 46.6 percent (27-for-58) from the floor – including a 53.3 percent clip (16-for-30) in the second half – hitting 14 of their 34 3-pointers (41.2 percent) and out-rebounding the Aggies 41-36.
The Aggies (5-14, 2-3 MEAC) shot just 32.7 percent (18-for-55) from the floor – including a 27.6 percent clip (8-for-29) in the first half. They went just 3-for-17 (17.6 percent) from behind the arc.
Sam Hunt led the Aggies with 16 points.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.ncataggies.com
Spartans Get Balanced Effort to Down NCCU
DURHAM, N.C.—Down early in the second half, the Norfolk State men’s basketball team used a 16-2 run to take the lead, and the Spartan men never let go on the way to an 88-79 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday afternoon at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.
In a matchup of two teams with the league’s best records over the last several year, the Spartans went up by 11 in the first half before the Eagles responded to take a two-point lead at the half. After that big run early in the second half, the Eagles got no closer than four for the rest of the game.
NSU hit 11 3-pointers in the game, including seven in the second half to spark that rally. The Spartans scored 52 points in the second stanza, the most in a half this season by NSU. The Spartans tied their season high in points after also scoring 88 in the conference victory over Coppin State in December.
NSU had five players in double figures, with Charles Oliver hitting 5-of-8 from 3-point range for a team-leading 20 points. Wade, senior Jeff Short and freshman Alex Long each added 12 points, with junior Preston Bungei also reaching double figures with 10.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.nsuspartans.com
Coppin State beats Bethune-Cookman to End Losing Streak
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Mario Moody scored 14 points and Jordan Potts 12 in Bethune-Cookman’s 62-54 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference loss to Coppin State Saturday afternoon.
Christian Kessee scored 14 points, Keith Shivers finished with 10 points and nine rebounds and Coppin State (3-14 overall, 1-3) snapped a 12-game losing streak.
Kessee shot 5-of-13 from the field but was 4-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Diamante Lewis scored the first five points of the second half to bring B-CU within 35-33, but Coppin State built its lead back to 11.
LaRon Smith posted 11 rebounds and five blocked shots for the Wildcats, who were playing at home for the first time in eight games.
Bethune-Cookman (5-13, 2-2) hosts Morgan State Monday at 7:30 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Hornets Comeback Isn't Enough Against Bulldogs
DOVER, Del.—Delaware State rallied from a 24-point first half deficit to tie the score late in the contest, but faltered down the stretch of a 90-79 MEAC loss to South Carolina State at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center today.
SC State led 68-60 before the Hornets rallied again to tie the game.
Devin Morgan hit a lay-up and Dana Raysor nailed another three-pointer to pull the Hornets to within 68-65.
About a minute later, DSU completed the comeback when Artem Tavakalyan hit a three-point shot from the right corner to tie the score at 68-68 with 5:15 remaining in the game.
The Bulldogs regained the lead, 71-68, when Ed Stephens hit a three-pointer on their next possession.His three-pointer at the 1:31 mark of the half gave him nine straight Bulldog points and put his team ahead 80-70, dashing the Hornets' comeback hopes.
Stephens tied for game-high scoring honors with 22 points, highlighted by seven 3-point field goals (7-of-14). Eric Eaves came off the bench to also score 22 for the Bulldogs. He also led the team with five assists.
The Hornets outscored SC State 46-39 in the second half.
Morgan led DSU with 21 points and also dished out four assists. He was seven-for-14 from the field, including two three-pointers, and five-for-six at the free throw line.
Scott Sill came off the bench to finish second on the Hornets with a career-high 12 points on four 3-point shots, also a career-best. He had nine points in the second half to help key DSU's second half surge.
Raysor added 11 points, while DeAndre Haywood tallied 10 points and tied for game-high honors with five assists.
Delaware State falls to 0-2 in the MEAC and 1-15 overall. South Carolina State won its fourth straight game to improve to 9-10 this season and 4-1 in the MEAC.
The Hornets wrap-up their two-game road-swing at Savannah State, on Monday.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.scsuathletics.com
Free-Throw Shooting Seals FAMU Win Over Morgan
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Florida A&M Men’s Basketball team cashed in 10 straight free throws in the final 50 seconds Saturday night, to overtake and hold off visiting Morgan State, 72-65 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at The Al Lawson Center.
Treavann Warren and Isaiah Omoregie finished with 15 points for FAMU, while Malcolm Bernard had 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals.
Cedric Blossom of Morgan State scored a game-high 18 points, with seven rebounds, while Rasean Simpson added 14 points and eight boards for the Bears.
FAMU hosts Coppin State Monday night at 8:00 p.m. at The Al Lawson Center.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.morganstatebears.com
Bison Give Spirited Effort But Fall To Harvard
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Playing without its leading scorer, the Howard University men’s basketball team hustled and scrapped its way into a competitive game, but in the end the Bison could not offset the second half inside-outside combination of Zena Edosomwan and Patrick Steeves, who combined for 25 of their team’s second half points as Harvard defeated Howard, 69-61 in a non-conference men’s game at Burr Gymnasium.
The Bison (8-10) learned before the game that team-leading scorer James Daniel, III, would not be playing due to an injured shoulder.
The Bison had to play uphill from the half as they tried to rally. Dalique Mingo, Marcel Boyd and Damon Collins did all they could to put a dent into the deficit, but the Crimson were able hit on 7-of-9 from the free throw line down the stretch to put the game away.
Despite missing the 29 points from Daniel and the absence of two other starters in James Miller and Solomon “Solo” Mangham, who combine for almost 25 points between them, Howard got a gritty performance from Mingo, Keon Hill, Boyd and Collins. Mingo scored 14 points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded a career-high six steals. Hill, who started in place of Daniel, scored 10 points and dealt out four assists. Boyd, who continues to show marked improvement, tallied 13 points and Collins with 14 and six rebounds.
Howard travels to Dover, DE to take on the Hornets of Delaware State on Wednesday at 4 pm. The game, which was suspended last Monday due to a clock malfunction, will be resumed from the 15:41 mark of the second half with the Bison leading, 41-38.
For complete story, visit www.hubison.com