PHILADELPHIA, PA. (January 21, 2008) – Dante Blanton-Holcombe (Baltimore, MD/Dunbar) scored 27 points and Ladaye Johnson (Wilmington, DE/Hodgson Vo-Tech) added 25 points, but it wasn't enough as the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team dropped an 81-75 decision to the University of the Sciences at the Bobby Morgan Arena Monday night. (BOXSCORE)
The win snaps a two game losing streak and improves the Devils record to 7-8. Lincoln falls to 1-16 with the loss.
Blanton-Holcombe, who made 10-of-19 shots, scored 19 of his points in the second half to help Lincoln overcome a 12-point deficit early in the second half. It was the 20th consecutive game in which Blanton-Holcombe reached double digits. Blanton-Holcombe also did a nice job on the defensive end by taking a pair of charges. Johnson, who made 10-of-17 shots, scored 11 points in the first half and 14 in the second half, including Lincoln's first 10 points after intermission. Sophomore Dominic Washington (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) added 10 points for the Lions. Emmanuel Kakulu (Boston, MA/Another Course to College) led the Lions with six rebounds, five assists and three steals on the night.
Keith Dundas led four players in double figures and Curtis Fitch recorded his first career double-double as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia withstood a second half rally by Lincoln University in the first meeting between the two schools since 1996.
Dundas, a senior forward, led the Devils with 21 points, connecting on eight of 14 shots from the field (3-4 3FG). Fitch, a sophomore center, recorded 12 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Freshman Adewale Adefemi and junior Charlie Fritsch rounded out USP's double figure scorers. Adefemi had 15 points and grabbed eight boards while Fritsch chipped in 14 points and dished out a game high seven assists (the most by a USP player in a game this season).
Fitch's tip in opened the half and gave the Devils their biggest lead of the game at 12 points, 43-31. The Lions then began a 21-8 surge over the next six minutes to take their first lead since 2-0 in the first period. Two 'treys' by Johnson cut the lead in half, 43-37. Blanton-Holcombe later added a 'three' of his own to pull the Lions within three 49-46. After a Fritsch layup boosted the lead back to five 51-46, the lions got two free throws from Julian Hall (Baltmore, MD/Archbishop Curley) and layups from Johnson and Blanton-Holcombe to take their first lead since the opening possession, 52-51 at the 13:03 mark. Both layups came off USP turnovers.
Over the next seven minutes, neither team led by more than two points with two ties and eight lead changes. Blanton-Holcombe's jumper at the 6:09 mark gave Lincoln a 64-63 lead before the Devils ran off six straight points to retake control of the game. Frazier stated things off with a layup. Fitch followed with a pair of free throws and Fritsch added a driving layup to make the score 69-64 in favor of the Devils with 4:51 left. Lincoln hung tough and eventually pulled within three 73-70 with 2:30 left. Dundas then nailed a 24 foot jumper as the shot clock was expiring to boost USP's lead to six, 76-70 with just 1:55 left. USP closed out the game with five free throws to hold off the Lions and preserve the win
Statistically speaking both teams stats were similar except for rebounds, where the Devils held a 47-30 edge and foul shots where USP also had an advantage, hitting 19 of 30 (63.3%) shots to Lincoln's 12 of 14 (85.7%). Both teams made 29 field goals with the Devils taking two more shots to finish shooting 29-66, 43.9% to Lincoln's 45.3% (29-64). The Lions made five three-point field goals while USP had four but the Devils turned in a better assist/turnover margin 14/15 to Lincoln's 11/14.
Lincoln returns to action Thursday night when it hosts Penn State-Abington beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Devils return to action on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 when they face Holy Family University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference southern division clash. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.
--LU--
