Box Score LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) and Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS) scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough to lift the Lincoln University men's basketball team as the Lions fell to Elizabeth City State, 58-48, in a CIAA Northern Division contest on Wednesday night at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.
 
“We lacked effort down the stretch tonight,” Lincoln head coach John Hill said. “We never found our rhythm offensively. I've seen this team play much harder and this group is talented, just needs to find the fire.”
 
 Sharpe finished with 14 points, including going 5-of-10 from the floor and Cole added 13 points and eight rebounds as Lincoln shot 37 percent (19-of-52) from the field.
 
The Lions (10-7 overall, 3-5 CIAA, 1-1 CIAA North) began the game on an 8-3 run, capped by a Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) jumper with 16:07 left, but the Vikings battled back and took a 13-12 advantage after an Angelo Sharpless jumper with 7:53 remaining.
 
Neither team grabbed a lead larger than two points for the next three minutes before Lincoln took a 23-18 advantage after a Stefan Whittingham (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Fort Lauderdale HS) layup with 2:44 remaining. A bucket by Sharpless trimmed the Lions lead to 23-20 entering the half.
 
Cole converted a three-point play with 15:18 remaining to give Lincoln a 29-22 lead and the Lions extended the advantage to 37-28 after a dunk by Jalen Ford (Hampton, Va./Pheobus HS) with 10:52 left.
 
Elizabeth City State (11-7, 4-4, 2-0) rallied behind three 3-pointers by Glenn Patterson to climb back into the game and take a 42-41 lead with 6:48 remaining. The Lions quickly answered and took a 45-42 advantage after a pair of free throws by Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) with 4:33 left.
 
However, the Vikings closed out the game on a 16-3 run to take the victory.
 
Sharpless paced Elizabeth City State with a double-double, 24 points and 12 boards. Patterson had 11 points as the Vikings were 18-of-47 from the floor for 38 percent and 14-of-16 from the free-throw line.
 
Lincoln hits the road for the next four contests, starting 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26 in Richmond, Va., against Virginia Union University.
 
Lions Notebook: Lincoln had the advantage in points in the paint, 30-12, and second-chance points, 9-4…There were four ties and 10 lead changes…Lincoln was 1-for-16 from behind the 3-point line (Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy))…The Lions had 32 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and three steals…Jalen Ford (Hampton, Va./Pheobus HS) tied a career-high with four points…The Lions turn to the road where they are 6-2.