Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Lincoln University Athletics

Scoreboard

Denzel Mooney
Bill Rudick

Men's Basketball Chris Weeden, Director of Sports Information and Marketing

Mooney ties career high, Salem International rallies

Box Score

SALEM, West Va. — The Lincoln University men's basketball team quieted one of the most explosive offenses in NCAA Division II, but a scoring drought provided the difference against Salem International University Monday night.

Despite Denzel Mooney (Baltimore, Md./Western School of Technology) tying a career high with 18 points and Eugene Smith (West Palm Beach, Fl/PennWood ) snaring 12 rebounds for the second-consecutive game, LU (0-2) fell, 64-48, at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.

The back-and-forth contest featured nine lead changes, and the Lions led by as many as four when Emmanuel Kakulu (Boston, MA/Another course of College) hit his lone 3-pointer at the end of the first half gave the Lions a 33-29 edge at the intermission, but the Tigers opened the second half on a 12-2 surge.

Smith's free throw with 13:39 to go halted the rally, but with SIU up, 43-36, the momentum of the previous half had dissipated.

The Lions attained the early lead by relying on the awakened hand of Mooney, a junior shooting guard. After struggling in the opener by going 3-of-17 from the field and 1-of-12 from behind the arc, Monday saw a resurgent effort for the Baltimore native. Behind 3-of-8 shooting for 12 points in the first stanza, hetied a career high with 18 points, set Dec. 29 of last year against No. 7 Kutztown University.

The defensive effort exhibited by LU under head coach John Hill continues to to stymie the opposition. SIU (3-1) had not scored fewer than 95 points in its previous three games this season, and although the opening run of the second half was the difference, that was more due to LU's struggles on the offensive end. The Lions shot just 26.3 percent in the final period.

Demetric Walker scored a game-high 24 points for the Tigers including 14 in the second half. He connected on a total of six treys.

Smith, meanwhile, coming off a double-double performance against Holy Family for LU, finished one point shy of the mark again, but he recorded 12 rebounds for the second game and fourth time in his career.

As the offense aims at establishing an identity prior to the start of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association schedule, Zane Oxley (Philadelphia/Martin Luther King HIgh School) too offered an unprecedented contribution on Monday with seven points.

Up Next

The Lions meet rival Cheyney University Friday evening int he 19th Annual Battle of the Firsts. The game will be played at the Liacouras on the Temple University campus. Tickets are still available at liacourascenter.com. Student and general admission stickets can be purchased in room 203 of Manuel Rivero Hall with Athletics Business Operations Manager Elaine Basgil.
Print Friendly Version