Feb. 5, 2011
Final Stats
ELIZABETH CITY, NC-The Virginia Union University Panthers overcame a nine point second half deficit for a 54-53 Northern Division win over Elizabeth City State University Saturday evening at the RL Vaughan Center.
On a Rondy Tucker layup with 6:07 remaining the Vikings held a 49-40 advantage. The Panthers went on an 8-0 run, and capped by a Juan Wilson dunk, trimmed the lead to a point with 3:08 to go. On the Vikings' ensuing possession a layup by Marquie Cooke halted a nearly four minute Viking scoring drought and yielded a 51-48 lead.
With 1:10 left in regulation a reverse layup by Braxton Byerson knotted the game at 51 apiece. Cooke then went 1-2 from the free throw line before a three-pointer by VUU's Wayne Ford gave the Panthers a 54-52 with 16 ticks left.
Tucker was fouled with .1 seconds left and a shot at sending the game to an extra session. After calmly sinking the first shot on a one plus the bonus, the second shot fell short sending the Panthers to a 5-2 mark in the CIAA Northern Division.
The game at 14 lead changes and the Vikings out-rebounded the Panthers 42-32. Byerson topped Virginia Union with 20 points as the Panthers improve to 10-7 overall.
Tucker paced ECSU with his second consecutive double-double, posting 22 points while pulling down 17 rebounds.
ECSU (12-8, CIAA 6-6) will return to action on Tuesday, when they host Lincoln University at the RL Vaughan Center. For more information on ECSU Athletics, visit www.ecsuvikings.com.
