Free Throws Sealed the Win For The Blue Bears
RALEIGH — Free throw shooting down the stretch was the key for Livingstone College, as the Blue Bears held on to defeat the Falcons of St. Augustine's University, 64-57 in Raleigh, N.C.
The Blue Bears are looking to close out the regular season with one more game left at Winston-Salem State. Livingstone improves to 10-12 overall and 8-7 in the conference.
St. Aug's falls to 12-14 and 9-6 in the CIAA.
Livingstone came out with hot-shooting against the Falcons last night, running off to a 15-point lead when Austin Walker nailed a 3-pointer to make it 24-9 with 6:30 left in the half.
St. Aug's fought back some, but the Blue Bears led at the break, 29-17.
The lead reached 14 points (35-21) for Livingstone in the second half, but then the Falcons, Kasey Bryant's 3-pointer with two minutes left to play cut the Livingstone lead to 59-56.
Saint Aug's was forced to start fouling to send Roger Ray to the line and hit 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Ray led the Blue Bears with 18 points, including 8-of-10 at the foul line. Rashard Todd was the only other Livingstone player in double figures, with 11 points.
Quincy January and Bryant, paced St. Aug's with 13 points each. January also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
Both teams struggled with shooting from the floor but Livingstone won the game at the charity stripe, making 15-of-17 free throws (88 percent). St. Aug's made just 53 percent of its foul shots (10-of-19).
Livingstone took good care of the basketball as well, committing just nine turnovers in the game, compared to 16 for the Falcons.
Livingstone returns to action on Saturday for its final regular season game, a 4 p.m. tip-off at Winston-Salem State.
