Box Score
SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone men's basketball team gutted out a big come-from-behind victory Saturday evening, upending the Shaw University Bears 61-58.
Livingstone took its record to 10-5 overall, 5-3 in the CIAA and 1-1 in the division with the victory while Shaw fell to 11-7 overall, 4-5 in the conference and 0-2 in the Southern Division.
The first half was a very low-scoring battle. Through the first five minutes of the first half, the Blue Bears held a slim 11-9 edge. After Shaw tied the game at 11-11 with 14:13 left, both teams went scoreless over the next 5:08 before Quentin Redfern gave Livingstone a 13-11 lead with 9:05 left.
Livingstone continued to lead late in the first half by two points with 3:16 left. Shaw closed the first half on an 11-2 run to grab a 29-22 lead at halftime.
Shaw's lead quickly disappeared early in the second half. Livingstone tied the game at 31-31 with 14:59 left in the contest and then grabbed a 33-31 lead less than a minute later. The Blue Bears reached their largest lead of the game with 12:20 left, leading 42-36.
The Livingstone lead was short-lived as Shaw knocked down back-to-back three pointers to tie the game and then took a 46-44 lead with 9:59 on the clock. Shaw matched its largest lead of the contest with 5:14 left, holding a 56-49 advantage.
In the final five minutes, the Blue Bears slowly cut into the Shaw lead. Aaron Wilson hit a jumper with 1:35 left to get Livingstone within two. Shaw's ensuing trip down the court came up empty and Trone Jackson rebounded the ball and went coast to coast for a layup to tie the game with 56 seconds left.
After a timeout, Shaw drove down and after an initial missed shot, got the offensive board and then was fouled. Darryl Johnson hit one of two free throws to go up 58-57. Jackson again came up big on the Livingstone possession getting a layup with 13 seconds left. Another timeout by Shaw set up the final possession. Devon McLendon missed a layup and Darius Cox grabbed the board and was fouled with .7 seconds left. Cox hit both free throws to solidify the victory.
Livingstone shot only 26.7 percent from the field in the first half, but rebounded very well in the second, shooting 52.6 percent for a game total of 36.7 percent. Shaw grabbed 38 rebounds to 32 for the Blue Bears.
The Blue Bears will stay at home on Monday when the Falcons of St. Augustine's College come to Trent Gymnasium for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
