Box Score LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University men's basketball team started the second half slow and Livingstone took advantage as the Lions dropped an 81-72 decision to the Blue Bears in CIAA action on Monday night at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.
 
"We ran into a team that's better than we are," Lincoln head coach John Hill said. "We didn't execute the offense like we are capable. We just had a difficult time finding our rhythm."

Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) led Lincoln with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS) finished with a double-double, 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Lions shot 36 percent (24-of-67) from the field.
 
Lincoln (8-4 overall, 1-2 CIAA) jumped out to a 16-7 advantage after a Beloved Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Princeton Day Academy) free throw with 12:47 left in the first half, but Livingstone answered and used a 17-3 run during the next seven minutes to grab a 24-19 lead after an Antony Welch free throw with 5:08 remaining.
 
The Lions ended the half strong with a 12-4 run to take a 31-28 lead into the break.
 
Livingstone (11-1, 3-0) used a 16-6 run to begin the second half and grab a 44-37 advantage after a Jody Hill 3-pointer with 13:54 remaining. Lincoln closed the gap to 57-53 after a Cole putback with 7:27 left.
 
However, the Blue Bears proved to be too much by out-scoring the Lions during the final seven minutes, 24-19.
 
Hill and Omar Ford-Bey, who had 10 rebounds, paced Livingstone with 21 points. Mark Thomas scored 11 of his 13 points at the foul line and Eladio Espinoza had 10 points and 11 boards.
 
The Lions take to the road for the next four games, starting 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, Jan. 10 in Fayetteville, N.C., against Fayetteville State University.
 
Lions Notebook: The Lions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season…Lincoln finished with seven 3-pointers (Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) (3), Beloved Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Princeton Day Academy) (2), Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) and Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS))…The Lions were 17-of-22 from the free-throw line for 77 percent…Lincoln held the advantage in points in the paint, 30-22, second-chance points, 17-16, and fastbreak points, 4-2…There were two ties and six lead changes…Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS) had his fourth double-double of the season…Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy) has scored in double figures in 11 of the 12 games this season.