LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (January 13, 2009) – Fueled by double-doubles from Sharay DuBose (Salisbury, MD, Parkside) and DeJuana Mosley (Chester, PA, Chester), the Lincoln University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team defeated Livingstone College, 84-79, at Manuel Rivero Hall Tuesday night. (BOXSCORE)
In a game featuring 17 lead changes and five ties, DuBose finished with a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds to help Lincoln defeat a CIAA Opponent at home for the first time under fifth-year coach Andy Haman. Mosley was steady, supplying 15 points and 10 rebounds. Tanina Cook (Landover, MD, Charles H. Flowers) chipped in with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
“This win means a lot to us,” DuBose said. “It's a new year and we had to play together and make smart decisions. Tonight, we put everything together: rebounding, swinging the ball, and our role players did what they were supposed to do. This win feels good.”
In playing its first home game in 45 days, Lincoln outscored Livingstone, 50-40, in the second half to finish with a season-high point total. Chanelle Harris (Philadelphia, PA, Penn Wood)provided the inspirational spark with eight points and five assists. Alease Tabb (Brooklyn, NY, Middle College High School) added energy with five points and four rebounds.
The Lady Lions (2-14 overall) shot a season-high 52.5 percent (31-for-59) from the field. Lincoln's bench outscored Livingstone's 17-13. Senior forward Angelle Green (Yeadon, PA, Penn Wood) finished with nine points and four assists. In addition to Green, Keonie Morrisey (Washington, D.C., Frederick Douglas), Nicole Wilmore (Baltimore, MD, Pikesville) and Sasha Evans (Hampton, VA, Phoebus) all supplied meaningful minutes. Every Lincoln player scored at least two points.
“I think tonight, our bench kept the intensity,” Cook said. “Everybody contributed tonight. Nikki was big. It was rough at the end, but we had to keep our heads and finish, which we did.”
However, earning this victory was not easy for Lincoln, which had to withstand a furious late Livingstone charge. Mosley scored to give Lincoln a seemingly comfortable, 73-62 lead with four minutes, 32 seconds remaining. The Lady Blue Bears took advantage of some Lincoln missed shots to close to within, 78-76 with 1:12 remaining.
Cook split a pair of foul shots to put Lincoln ahead, 79-76 with 52 seconds left. After a missed Livingstone 3-pointer, DuBose scored a layup to extend Lincoln's advantage to five points. Livingstone wasn't finished as Asheka Hudson connected on a 3-pointer with 33 seconds remaining to trim Lincoln's edge to 81-79.
Trailing, 39-34, at intermission, Lincoln scored seven of the first nine points of the second half to tie the game at 41. From there, the score was tied at 43, 45, and 50. A pair of Mosley foul shots with 11:176 remaining gave Lincoln the lead for good, 52-50. After Livingstone pulled to within, 58-57, Lincoln scored seven straight points to give it the breathing room it need to hold off the Lady Blue Bears.
“We are coming together as a team,” Green said. “We played team basketball tonight. I am overjoyed with this victory. I felt like since I am an upperclassmen, I needed to step up and be a role model for the freshman.”
Hudson (23 points) and Cassaundra Rhodes (21 points) led Livingstone (2-10). The two teams meet again in Salisbury, NC on Saturday February 7.
Both teams return to action Thursday night. Lincoln hosts Virginia State and Livingstone travels to Virginia Union. Both games begin at 5:30 p.m.
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