Box Score

SALISBURY, N.C. (January 8, 2011) — Quinton Hector (Schertz, Texas/Samuel Clemens HS)'s best collegiate performance could not get Lincoln its first conference win of the season.

The sophomore point guard from Texas scored a career-high 14 points in 27 minutes, easily a career night. His previous high came in the season finale versus Saint Paul's College on February 19, a three-point night.

Livingstone College spoiled the effort with an 82-60 win Saturday night at Trent Gymnasium.

Hector may have had the night to remember, but Denzel Mooney (Baltimore, Md./Western School of Technology) is solidifying himself as a potential All-America candidate. His game-high 24 points gave him his fifth 20-point game of the season, all of which have come in the last six games. He did so behind 9-of-19 shooting, and his three 3-pointers tied a season high.

The two sides played a fairly even game with Lincoln shooting 42 percent and Livingstone at 46 percent. The difference came at the charity stripe. Although the Lions shot 89 percent (8-of 9), the Blue Bears attempted 30 more shots from the free-throw line, converting on 28 of them (79 percent).

A stalemate suddenly changed 11 minutes into the contest. A 13-0 Livingstone run transformed a 15-15 tie to a 28-15 Blue Bears' lead before Mooney ended the stretch with three minutes left in the opening period. Kwhaeem Smith knocked down a jumper right before the buzzer to cut the Blue Bears' advantage to 35-23 at the intermission.

After trading baskets and defensive stops early in the second half, Livingstone assembled a 12-0 stretch with eight points coming from the free-throw line. Mooney hit a jumper in the paint at the 13-minute mark, but Lincoln now trailed, 52-31.

Lincoln overcame the frustration and the foul trouble and would charge back within single digits. Smith began the Lions' resurgence with a lay-in with 10 minutes to go. Over the next six minutes, Mooney drilled a trio of treys, Hector made a couple of buckets, and the rest of the cast filled in to bring the Lions within 66-57 with 4:30 left. The exhausted LU cast, though, could not make up the difference, and Livingstone stretched the advantage to the final 82-60 score.

Up Next

Lincoln plays the second game of its road swing on Monday against Johnson C. Smith. The location and times of the doubleheader have been changed. Both will be played at the Grady Cole Center on North Kings Drive in Charlotte, N.C. The women's game begins at 4:30 p.m. with the men tipping off at 8:30 p.m.

— LU —