Box Score LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – Richard Glover (Baltimore, Md./Havre De Grace HS) scored nine points, but it was his last three from the free-throw line that helped lift the Lincoln University men's basketball team to a thrilling, 60-58, victory over Virginia Union during a CIAA Northern Division showdown on Saturday night at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.
 
“This was a great win,” Lincoln head coach John Hill said. “We have played pretty well on the road and to come out and play well and get the win at home is fantastic. We still need to find a way to be consistent and take care of our home court.”
 
Glover stepped to the charity strip with the Lions trailing, 58-57 with 1:26 left and sank two shots to give Lincoln a 59-58 lead. After a foul on Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS), Juan Wilson's free throw attempt was off the mark and Glover collected the rebound with 12.7 remaining. His free throw gave the Lions a 60-58 advantage.
 
The Panthers had an excellent chance to tie the contest and force overtime, but Michael Wynn's jumper was no good and Omar Briggs' putback rimmed all around the bucket and back out as Glover picked up the rebound as time expired.
 
“This was an unbelievable win,” Glover said. “I wish I would have made our last free throw. Every game is a hard game. We come out and fight, scratch and claw to get in position we are in.”
 
With the victory, Lincoln (15-9 overall, 8-6 CIAA, 6-2 CIAA North) continues its drive to claim the CIAA Northern Division title.
 
Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS) was 8-of-10 from the floor to finish with 18 points and seven rebounds to pace the Lions. George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) had 17 points, four assists, two rebounds and a pair of steals. Glover was 3-for-3 from the floor to finish with nine points and seven boards as Lincoln shot 45 percent (23-of-51).
 
The Lions opened the contest with an 11-7 run after a Cole putback with 12:55 remaining. However, Virginia Union used a 22-12 run during the next eight minutes to grab a 29-23 advantage after a pair of free throws by Ken Pankey with 4:07 left.
 
The Lions kept the game close and trimmed the deficit to 31-29 right before halftime after a bucket by George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS).
 
In the second half, Lincoln opened up a 39-31 lead after a free throw by Stefan Whittingham (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Fort Lauderdale HS) with 16:06 remaining. Virginia Union battled back, behind a 19-9 run, to grab a 50-48 advantage after a Weshley Simmons jumper with 8:59 left.
 
The Panthers pushed the advantage to 56-53 after a Simmons jumper with 4:04 left, but the Lions continue to fight their way back after buckets by Cole and George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) to grab a 57-56 lead with 2:03 remaining.
 
A putback by Juan Wilson gave Virginia Union a 58-57 lead with 1:49 remaining, the last of the night for the Panthers and set up the late-game heroics for Lincoln.
 
Pankey led all scorers with 20 points, while Simmons finished with 18. Briggs added 11 points and eight boards as the Panthers were 21-of-46 shooting for 46 percent.
 
The Lions will hold Senior Night on Wednesday, Feb. 20 as Chowan University comes to town for a CIAA Northern Division tilt. Tip-off  is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium. To follow the contest through live stats, click here or to follow on live streaming, click here.
 
Lions Notebook: Entering the game, Lincoln, Elizabeth City State and Virginia Union were each tied at 5-2 in the CIAA Northern Division Standings…The Lions split the season series with the Panthers…There were seven ties and six lead changes…Lincoln held the edge in points in the paint, 30-22, and second-chance points, 13-2…The Lions finished with 30 rebounds (seven each from Richard Glover (Baltimore, Md./Havre De Grace HS) and Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS))…Lincoln had 12 assists (four by George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) ), six steals and two blocked shots…The Lions were 6-of-20 from behind the 3-point line (George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) (3), Beloved Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Princeton Day Academy) (2), Jai Kellman (Brooklyn, N.Y./George Westinghouse HS) (1))…On Wednesday before the contest with Chowan, Lincoln will recognized five seniors (Richard Glover (Baltimore, Md./Havre De Grace HS), Kenny Sharpe (Chester, Pa./Elite Academy), Rodney Goodson (Bronx, N.Y./John F. Kennedy HS), Quinton Hector (Schertz, Texas/Samuel Clemens HS) and Beloved Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Princeton Day Academy)).