Final Stats

CHARLOTTE, NC-Johnson C. Smith University shot 57% from the field and hung on to edge Elizabeth City State University 74-68 Saturday night at Brayboy Gymnasium.

The Golden Bulls shooting percentage marks a season high for any ECSU opponent this year. JCSU, who went 28-49 from the floor, moves to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in CIAA play.

JCSU placed four of the five starters in double figures with Diondre Pratt leading all scorers with a game high 16 points. Darrell Ward was ECSU's high man with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.

The Vikings were strong on the offensive glass with 19 boards that led to a 19-10 advantage in second chance points. However the Golden Bulls dominated the painted area, outscoring ECSU 49-30.

ECSU had a rough night at the free throw line converting 40% of their attempts on 10-25 shooting in the six point setback. In the first half, the Vikings' poor shooting from long range led to easy buckets on the other end for JCSU who built a 16 point lead and one juncture and led 38-24 at the intermission.

Beginning at the 18:25 mark of the second half ECSU got seven straight points from Ward and cut the lead to single digits (46-37) on a three-pointer by Brachon Griffin. The Golden Bulls went back ahead by double figures, 54-43, after a jumper by Robert Davis until Miykael Faulcon countered with a score to bring the JCSU to single digits for the final time.

The Vikings steadily gained ground on JCSU and in the closing 1:10 got another jumper by Faulcon and two free throws from Kyree Marshall to make the score 70-68 with 49 seconds left. After a foul was whistled against ECSU, Robert Davis sank two free throws and when the Vikings next offensive trip came up empty Stedmon Lemon added two more free throws for the six-point JCSU win.

ECSU (9-9, CIAA 2-3) will hit the floor against Winston-Salem State on Monday night at 7:30pm in at the C.E. Gaines Center.