Box Score MURFREESBORO, N.C. – Cynthia Johnson (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) scored 15 of her career-high 21 points in the first half as the Lincoln University women's basketball team picked up its first CIAA victory as the Lady Lions edged Chowan, 68-67, on Monday night in a Northern Division contest at the Helms Center.
 
Johnson was 8-of-16 from the floor and just missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds and four assists. Sharay DuBose (Salisbury, Md./Parkside HS) added 14 points, including going 6-of-7 from the foul line. Mfon Ekanem (Springdale, Md./C.H. Flowers HS) had nine rebounds as the Lady Lions (5-14 overall, 1-7 CIAA) shot 41 percent (24-of-59) from the field.
 
Lincoln fell behind early, 12-11, but responded with a 12-3 run, capped by a Johnson jumper with 8:35 left to give the Lady Lions a 24-14 advantage. However, Chowan closed out the final eight minutes on a 21-10 run to take a 35-34 lead into the break.
 
In the second half, an Ekanem layup with 10:34 remaining gave Lincoln a 52-46 advantage. The Lady Hawks battled back and tied the game at 64 with 2:51 left after a Talaya Lynch fastbreak layup.
 
After a pair of free throws by DuBose gave the Lady Lions a 66-64 lead, Chowan rallied and tied the contest at 66 when Lynch scored on a layup with 1:25 left. A free throw by Ransheda Jennings gave the Lady Hawks a 67-66 edge, but Krystal Fluellen (New York, N.Y./Richard Green HS) sank a pair at the charity stripe to give the Lady Lions a 68-67 advantage with 41 seconds remaining.
 
Chowan had a chance to win the game after Johnson missed a pair at the free-throw line with 15 seconds. Janelle Murphy's 3-pointer with three seconds left was blocked by Synae Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter HS) to secure the Lincoln victory.
 
Jennings paced the Lady Hawks (7-11, 2-6) with 21 points and seven rebounds. Lynch had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards as Chowan was 25-of-68 shooting for 37 percent.
 
Lincoln concludes its five-game road trip 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 25 in Princess Anne, Md., against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Catch all the action through live stats at: http://www.umeshawks.com/gametracker/launch/gt_wbaskbl.html?event=1035356&school=mdes&sport=wbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=& or listen live on the internet at: http://www.sfmsports.net/umeshawks.html