LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA (February 10, 2009) – The Lincoln University men's basketball team overcame a 17 deficit (66-49) in the second half but it wasn't enough as the Lions dropped a 81-76 game to Elizabeth City State Tuesday night at Manuel Rivero Hall. (BOXSCORE)
Lincoln brought the score to within one point (70-71) with two minutes and 39 seconds left in the contest off a layup from Denzel Mooney (Baltimore, Md./Western School of Technology). The Viking's Jamal Rouse used a pair of free throws to help Elizabeth City get back in the scoring mood. Jaybron Wilson slammed a dunk to bring the score to within three points (77-74) and the Lincoln fans to their feet.
Darren Clark (Boston, MA/Largo) scored a team high 21 points for the Lions. Also reaching double digits for Lincoln were Wilson (17 points) and Bryant Leach (Philadelphia, PA/John Bartram) (14 points). Wilson also grabbed team high 14 rebounds for his four double-double in Lincoln's last five games.
Lincoln's defense kept reining CIAA National Player of the year Anthony Hilliard to just five points in the first half of the game. Hilliard who finished with 17 points is averaging 23.9 points per game. Aside from Hilliard the Vikings placed three players in double-digit scoring including Jamier Bush (16 points), Trent Bivens (15 points, two steals) and Demond Hickman (11 points, five rebounds). Elizabeth City out-rebounded Lincoln 47-41. Hilliard also finished with a game-high 19 rebounds.
This is the sixth game this season Lincoln has lost to a CIAA opponent by five or less points including its last contest against the Vikings in a 79-77 road game in November. Lincoln went 6-21 from the 3-point line and just 14-31 from the free throw line.
Mooney finished with seven points on 3-4 shouting for the Lions. Other key players for the Lions were Eugene Smith (West Palm Beach, Fl/PennWood ) (4 points, five rebounds), Darrell Mosley (Chester, PA/Chester ) (four points) and Damian Hyman (Bronx, NY/Harry S. Truman) (three points).
Lincoln returns to action Thursday February 12, 2009 when it hosts Bowie State at 7:30 p.m. Elizabeth City will travel to Saint Augustine's Thursday night for a 7:30 start.
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