Final Stats

SALISBURY, NC – Despite a season-high 18 points from junior Ethan Anderson, the Livingstone men's basketball team was unable to come out on top Thursday evening as the Elizabeth City State Vikings defeated the Blue Bears 67-63 in the conference openers for both teams.

The entire game was a back-and-forth battle with neither team able to gain more than an eight-point edge.  Elizabeth City led for more than 18 minutes of the first half.  After Livingstone took the first two points of the game, the Blue Bears next saw a lead with 1:35 remaining after the Vikings led by as much as seven.  Elizabeth City took a two-point edge with 58 seconds left, but Livingstone took the final four points of the first half to take a 32-30 lead into the break.

To start the second half, the Blue Bears held a slim advantage through the first five minutes before Elizabeth City retook its lead.  The Vikings led by eight with 4:25 remaining, but the Blue Bears came storming back behind the three-point shooting of Omar Ford-Bey.  Ford-Bey hit three three-pointers in less than three minutes to keep the Blue Bears close. 

As the clock ticked under a minute to play in the contest, the Vikings extended their lead to four points, but Ethan Anderson hit a jumper with 50 seconds left to keep Livingstone within two.  On the ensuing Viking possession, Greg Henry came up with a critical steal just past midcourt.  After a timeout, Greg Henry put up a shot from the baseline with five seconds left and was fouled.  Henry was unable to hit either of the free throws and Elizabeth City rebounded the miss.  The Vikings hit two free throws to seal the victory.

Anderson led the Blue Bears with 18 points and eight rebounds while Omar Ford-Bey finished with 12 points, all from beyond the arc.

With the loss, the Blue Bears fell to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference while Elizabeth City improved to 7-4 overall and 1-0 in the CIAA.

The Blue Bears will kick off a four-game road swing Saturday when they head to Lincoln, PA to take on the Lions of Lincoln University at 7:30 p.m.