Box Score
ELIZABETH CITY, NC – A career-high 16 points by freshman guard Khalia Boston wasn't enough to propel the Blue Bears to victory Monday evening as they fell in overtime 66-61 to the Elizabeth City State University Vikings.
Boston's 16 points eclipsed her previous high of 14 set earlier this season against Catawba. Junior guard Montiya Harrison was also in double figures as she totaled 15 points while junior forward Brittany Wright had 12 points. Sophomore forward Cassaundra Rhodes led the Blue Bears on the boards with eight rebounds and also had eight points.
Livingstone came out and grabbed an early 6-2 lead over the Vikings, but a 6-0 run by Elizabeth City dropped the Blue Bears behind by two at 8-6. Over the first 10 minutes neither team was able to grab a large advantage. At the 10-minute mark the Blue Bears held a 14-13 edge.
The Vikings tried to pull away in the second part of the first half and led by four with 6:15 left, but the Blue Bears notched a 5-0 run of their own to regain a 21-20 lead. Freshman guard Khalia Boston converted two free throws in the final minute of the first half to give the Blue Bears a 25-23 lead, which they took into the locker room at halftime.
Brittany Wright led the Blue Bears with 10 points while Montiya Harrison notched seven. Wright and Cassaundra Rhodes both finished the half on the bench after accumulating two fouls each in the first half.
Livingstone got the first two points of the second half to go up by four but the Vikings quickly rebounded. The Blue Bears led by three at 35-32, but Elizabeth City went on a 5-0 run to go up 37-35 with 13 minutes to play. The two teams proceeded to battle back and forth for the next six minutes with neither team able to pull away.
With 2:25 showing on the game clock the Blue Bears led by six at 54-48. The Vikings took the next four points to get within two with 1:50 to go, but Rashida Elbourne put the Blue Bears back up by four with her only two points of the night with 1:33 left. Elizabeth City cut the deficit to two with 57 seconds left and then tied the contest at 56-56. The Blue Bears had a chance to win the game, but a 15-foot jumper by Cassaundra Rhodes fell short and the game headed to overtime.
In the overtime period neither team scored for the first 2:15, but Montiya Harrison ended that with a jumper to put the Blue Bears up 58-56. Unfortunately, those were the only points the Blue Bears scored until the buzzer. The Vikings not only hit their shots but converted free throws as well to take the victory 66-61.
As a team the Blue Bears shot 32.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. Livingstone was beaten on the boards 57-41, but committed three fewer turnovers than the Vikings. Second-chance points hurt the Blue Bears as Elizabeth City scored 19 to Livingstone's seven.
The Blue Bear women will be back in action on Saturday, January 16 at 5:30 p.m. when they host the Bowie State Bulldogs. The Bulldogs downed the Blue Bears 64-53 in their first meeting this season.
