Livingstone College Athletics

Blue Bears Rally not enough as LC falls to Benedict

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Livingstone College cut down a 19 point lead, but it wasn't enough as the Blue Bears fell 81-78 to the Tigers in the JCSU Tipoff Classic hosted by Johnson C. Smith on Saturday afternoon.

Benedict held as much as a 19-point lead in the first half and had a 54-43 lead with 16:19 left in the game before the Blue Bears staged a big rally. The Tigers held a 64-55 lead with 10:35 left to play when Livingstone outscored Benedict 9-1 to cut the lead to 65-64 with 5:45 left to play with a tip in from Cameron Burhannon. Livingstone's forward Damante McNeill tied the game at 72 with 1:29 left in the second half.

After the Blue Bears hit one free throw, and Benedict scored on a layup with just over a minute left. Roger Ray answered with a 3-pointer to make it 77-76 with 53 seconds left. Livingstone had to foul the Tigers to send them to the line for the 81-76 lead.

Livingstone falls to 0-2.

Ray had a game high of 16 points while teammate Ramel Befield chipped in 14, going four for five from behind the arch