LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (January 24, 2009) – The Saint Augustine's men's basketball team held Lincoln University of Pennsylvania to one basket over the final four minutes, 17 seconds to rally for a 70-63 victory Saturday night at Manuel Rivero Hall. (BOXSCORE)
In front of a spirited crowd that did the wave during the second half, Lincoln placed four players in double figures highlighted by a team-high 13 points from Ladaye Johnson (Wilmington, DE/Hodgson Vo-Tech). Bryant Leach (Philadelphia, PA/John Bartram) played a brilliant all-around game by finishing with 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Jabyron Wilson scored 11 points and Damian Hyman (Bronx, NY/Harry S. Truman) added 10 points for the Lions, which had their three-game home-court winning streak snapped.
Lincoln (5-12 overall) made 50 percent of its shots for the second consecutive game. However, the difference in the game was the free-throw line where Saint Augustine's connected on 27-of-41 from the charity stripe and Lincoln made 6-of-7. The Falcons were 21-for-29 from the foul line in the second half as they overcame a 38-33 halftime deficit.
The Lions led for the first 34 minutes of the game. Their largest advantage was 26-16 with 8:20 remaining following a Hyman 3-pointer. The Lions held the Falcons off for most of the second half, but they couldn't apply the knockout punch. After Kristin Joyner (Brooklyn, NY/Thomas Jefferson) scored a layup with 4:17 remaining that put Lincoln ahead, 61-58, the Falcons scored the next 12 points.
Saint Augustine's Steven Brignol tied the game, 61-61, when he made a 3-pointer from 24 feet out with the shot clock winding down while falling into the first row of the bleachers. Brignol, who made all of St. Augustine's 3-pointers, led the Falcons with 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting. Saint Augustine's took the lead for good when Shaun Washum converted an old-fashioned 3-point play with 2:12 remaining.
Will Gill scored 13 points for the Falcons. Washum finished with 11 points and Hayward Fain added 10 points, including a one-handed dunk in the first half.
The Lions finished 9-for-26 from 3-point distance, but only 3-for-12 in the second half. Darren Clark (Boston, MA/Largo) made the Lions last 3-pointer of the game with 8:59 remaining that gave the Lions a 55-49 advantage. Lincoln missed its final six 3-point shot attempts.
Lincoln returns to action Monday night when it hosts Johnson C. Smith University beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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