MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Denzel Mooney (Baltimore, Md./Western School of Technology) missed just four shots from the floor and finished with a game-24 points to earn the Fresh Coast Classic Most Valuable Player award on Saturday night as the Lincoln University men's basketball team stunned NCAA Division II ninth ranked and tournament defending champions Bowie State, 74-72, at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
 
“We came here with a purpose,” Mooney said. “In order to be the champion, you want to go through the champion and we did that. We feel like no one in the conference (CIAA) really respects us and I hope this victory shows that we are a team and can compete night in and night out.”
 
Mooney was on fire in the first half with 16 points, including going 4-of-4 from the floor, 3-of-3 from behind the 3-point line and 5-of-5 from the foul line. The senior from Baltimore, Md., was 7-for-12 shooting for 24 points and was nearly perfect from the free-throw line by going 7-of-8.
 
Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, while George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) added 11 points, despite being in foul trouble for most of the second half. Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) also had 11 points, including a key 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining to give Lincoln (4-3), which shot 50 percent (26-of-52) from the floor, a 72-66 lead.
 
“We wanted to make sure we controlled the tempo of the game,” Lincoln head coach John Hill said. “I knew their size and depth would be a concern for us. We had a good game plan in place and brought the right effort. Bowie is where we want to be and we are looking to build that tradition at Lincoln. This win was huge for the school and our program.”
 
Lincoln quickly raced out to a 6-0 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers by George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) and Mooney to begin the game. However, Bowie State kept the game close, tying the contest at 26 after a dunk by Travis Hyman with 6:35 remaining in the first half.
 
The Lions, currently on a four-game winning streak, responded with a 12-6 run, capped by a pair of free throws by Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) to give Lincoln a 38-30 advantage with 2:02 left in the half. The Bulldogs (3-1) answered by closing out the first half on a 6-2 run as the Lions took a slim 40-36 lead into the break.
 
In the second half, Lincoln never relinquished the lead and took its largest lead of the night, 59-50, after a Washington 3-pointer with 10:53 remaining.
 
The Bulldogs kept the game close, cutting the margin to two, 63-61, after a three-point play by Dameatric Scott, but that was as close as Bowie State could get.
 
Jay Gavin, Travis Hyman and Scott each had 14 points to lead Bowie State. Darren Clarke chipped in with 13 points as the Bulldogs were 24-of-50 shooting for 48 percent.
 
In the consolation game, Cheyney stormed back in the second half to defeat Fisk, 81-71.
 
Lincoln looks to continue to keep the streak going by returning to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in Takoma, Md., against Washington Adventist. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.