FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (November 17, 2007) – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team dropped a 91-52 decision to reigning CIAA Western Division champion Johnson C. Smith University on the second day of the Carolina Ford Dealers Classic hosted by Fayetteville State University at Capel Arena Saturday afternoon. (BOXSCORE)
Jermaine Russell led three Lincoln players in double figures with 18 points in 36 minutes. Dante Blanton and Dominic Washington added 10 points each for Lincoln, who is 0-2 for first time since 1990.
Johnson C. Smith (1-0) received scoring from 10 different players. Maurice Hooper scored a game-high 19 points for the Golden Bulls. Also reaching double figures in scoring for JCSU were David Sanders (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Ronald Thornhill (11 points). Edmund Rainey also snatched 10 rebounds.
Lincoln struggled with its shooting for the second consecutive game. The Lions fell into a 47-24 hole at halftime because they shot 25 percent (8-for-32) in the opening 20 minutes. Overall, Lincoln made just 25.7 percent of its shots from the floor in the defeat. Lincoln was also 3-for-31 from 3-point distance.
The game began well for Lincoln as Blanton made a 3-pointer to give the Lions a 3-0 lead 30 seconds into the game. However, the Golden Bulls took the lead for good, 5-3, on a Hopper 3-pointer with 18 minutes, 40 seconds remaining. Lincoln's Ladaye Johnson made a 3-pointer to bring the Lions to within, 7-6, with 17:03 remaining in the first half. Johnson C. Smith scored the next 12 points to take control of the game, 19-6, with 13:29 remaining in the opening half.
Johnson C. Smith's bench outscored Lincoln's reserves, 43-8. The Golden Bulls converted 28 Lincoln turnovers into 32 points.
Lincoln concludes its season-opening three-game road trip with a contest at 2007 NCAA Division II participant Elizabeth City State University at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live over the Internet at www.redzonemedia.com with Matt Martucci, the voice of the Lions calling all of the action.
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