BOWIE, MD (November 15, 2008) – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team opened its season with difficult 79-78 defeat to host Bowie State University in the first round of the Bulldogs Classic at A.C. Jordan Arena Saturday night. (BOXSCORE)
Lincoln (0-1) will play the loser of the Columbia Union-Pfeiffer game in the consolation game at 2:00 p.m. Bowie State (1-0 overall, 1-0 CIAA) will face the winner of the Columbia Union-Pfeiffer game in the championship game at 4:00 p.m.
Lincoln junior guard Bryant Leach (Philadelphia, PA/Bartram) scored 22 points. Lincoln freshman guard Darren Clark (Largo, MD/Largo) finished with 19 points and junior guard Damian Hyman (Brooklyn, NY/Harry S. Truman) added 18 points. Junior guard Darrell Mosley (Chester, PA/Chester) scored 10 points. Clark and Hyman also had eight rebounds each for the Lions.
The Lions gave the heavily favored Bulldogs all they could handle and then some. Despite the defeat, Lincoln exited this game full of confidence knowing it went toe-to-toe with the CIAA's Eastern Division preseason favorite. Lincoln competed and possibly served noticed to the rest of the rugged conference that it should not be taken lightly.
The game featured 16 lead changes and six ties. Bowie's largest lead of the game was eight points in the final 20 seconds. Lincoln held a six-point advantage midway through the first half before settling for a 39-38 edge at intermission.
Leach scored on a layup with 13 minutes remaining to give Lincoln a 53-48 advantage. However, the Bulldogs responded to grab a 55-53 lead. Lincoln would not lead again. Unfortunately for Lincoln, each time it tied the score in the final four minutes, Bowie's Delano Johnson answered with a 3-pointer.
Hyman tied the game at 62-62 with 4:05 remaining. Johnson untied the game with a 3-pointer 38 seconds later for a 65-62 Bowie lead. Leach responded with another game-tying 3-pointer 18 seconds later off of a Mosley assist. Johnson gave Bowie State the lead for good, 68-65 with another 3-pointer 18 seconds after Leach's. Clark split a pair of foul shots for Lincoln to cut Bowie's advantage to 68-66 with 2:19 remaining. Lincoln would get no closer.
After allowing Bowie State to score the first six points of the game, Lincoln set the tone by scoring the next seven points. Overall, Leach scored 10 of Lincoln's first 15 points. Sophomore guard Emmanuel Kakulu (Boston, MA/Another Course to College) (Boston, MA/Another Course to College) added six points for Lincoln.
The differences in the game proved to be Bowie State's 21-for-27 shooting from the foul line and its 21-9 edge in bench points. Lincoln made 14 3-pointers with Leach and Clark making three 3-pointers each. Defensively, Lincoln forced 17 Bowie State turnovers.
Carlos Williams led Bowie State with game-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds. Johnson finished with 17 points.
Lincoln and Bowie State will meet again at Manuel Rivero Hall on Thursday February 12. The Lions' next CIAA contest will be Tuesday night at Saint Paul's College.
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