CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – The Livingstone men's basketball team dropped to Johnson C. Smith University Saturday evening in Brayboy Gymnasium, 70-64.
The Blue Bears drop to (8-, 4-4) in the season, while Johnson C. Smith University improves to (6-11, 2-6).
Livingstone was led by Khyree Temple with 20 points. Paul Tako, Arion Broadnax, and De'Marr McCrae all finished with 10 points.
Johnson C. Smith University was paced by Cannedy Ezekiel with 23 points. Augustine Ominu followed with 14 points. Michael Roberson Jr. finished with 13 points.
The Blue Bears went on a 13-0 run in the first five minutes of the first half. A three-pointer by Michael Roberson Jr. tied the game up at 15 at the 12-minute mark. The Golden Bulls took their first lead of the game with a jumper by Roberson Jr., 17-15. The Blue Bears regained the lead with 7:00 left in the first half. A fast break layup by Arion Broadnax added to the Blue Bears' lead and gave them a nine-point lead at halftime, 43-34.
Johnson C. Smith had 26 points off Livingstone's 20 turnovers. The Blue Bears had 21 bench points. The Blue Bears managed to still dominate in the paint with 34 points versus the Golden Bulls' 22.
The Blue Bears continued adding to their lead in the second half. The Golden Bulls tied it up at the 12-minute marl with a layup by Augustine Ominu, 48-48.
A layup by Paul Tako gave the Blue Bears an eight-point lead with 8:50 left in the game, 57-49. The Golden Bulls tied it up and then took the lead with two good free throws by Ezekiel Cannedy, 58-57.
A layup by Khyree Temple put the Blue Bears back up by four with 3:59 left in the game, 64-60. The Blue Bears were scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Livingstone would end the game shooting 40.0% (24-of-60). Johnson C. Smith would make 24 of 62 overall for 38.7 percent.
The Golden Bulls shot 77.3% from the free-throw line (17 out of 22). The Blue Bears went 70.6% from the free-throw line 12-of-17.
Livingstone outrebounded Johnson C. Smith, 43-37.
The Blue Bears will host St. Augustine's University Thursday, January 26. The first tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
