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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Playing in its first CIAA Quarterfinal contest in school history, the Lincoln University men's basketball team led by as many as nine points in the second half against Bowie State, but couldn't hold as the Lions fell, 67-60, on Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Arena.
 
“Tonight was a pretty tough game,” Lincoln  head coach John Hill said. “We played as hard as we could possibly play. I have absolutely no complaints about the effort and the execution. I thought the kids played hard and the kids did everything I asked them to do tonight. We played well.”  
 
Bowie State advances to the CIAA semifinals to meet Winston-Salem State, 9 p.m., Friday, March 1. The Rams, the defending CIAA Tournament Champions, rolled past Virginia Union, 84-74, in a quarterfinal contest on Thursday.
 
Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) poured in 18 points, including 14 in the second half, to lead the Lions (17-9). Derrick Washington (Washington, DC/Coolidge SHS) came off the bench to score 17 points and grab a team-high six rebounds. George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) finished with 13 points as Lincoln was 19-of-59 shooting for 32 percent.
 
Lincoln broke open a 15-all tie with a 10-4 run to grab a 25-19 advantage after a George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) free throw with 4:38 remaining in the half. Bowie State battled back and cut the margin to 25-24 after two shots at the foul line by Bryan Wilson with 3:58 left.
 
The Lions and Bulldogs traded buckets for the final three minutes as Lincoln took a slim, 29-28, advantage into the half.
 
Lincoln opened the second half strong and built a 37-30 lead after a Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) layup with 17:15 remaining. Bowie State answered with a 12-5 run during the next five minutes to tie the game at 42 after Wilson three-point play with 12:08 left.
 
The Lions broke the tie with buckets by Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) and Will Cole (Newark, NJ/Cesar Chavez HS) to give Lincoln a 46-42 advantage, but the Bulldogs used a 7-0 run, capped by a Byron Westmoreland fastbreak dunk to give Bowie State a 49-46 lead with 8:12 remaining.
 
A 3-pointer by George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) tied the contest at 49 with seven minutes remaining, but the Bulldogs broke the tie with baskets by Wilson and Julian Williams to take a 53-49 advantage with 4:46 left.
 
Lincoln closed the gap with a bucket by Washington and trey by Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS), tying the contest at 54 with 3:33 remaining. Bowie State controlled the final three minutes and ended the game on a 13-6 run to earn a trip to the CIAA semifinals.
 
“Tonight's game was a war with those guys, just like it was in the other two games,” Bowie State head coach Darrell Brooks said. “Anyone could have won the game and I'm proud of my guys for showing the physical toughness in key parts of that game down the stretch. That's what it takes to win games like these.”  
 
Westmoreland paced four Bowie State players in double figures with 18 points and five boards. Wilson added 13 points and six rebounds, while Dameatric Scott finished with a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds. Ray Gatling chipped in with 11 points before fouling out as Bowie State (14-13) shot 44 percent (20-of-46).
 
Lions Notebook: Lincoln concludes its most successful season in NCAA Division II play with 17 wins, the most since the 1998-1999 (team went 18-6)…During quarterfinal action, teams that led at the half on Thursday went 1-4 (only team to win was Livingstone)…Lincoln had an advantage in bench points, 26-19…There were eight ties and seven lead changes…The Lions finished with 36 rebounds, six steals and six assists…Lincoln went 3-for-20 from behind the 3-point line (Justin Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) (2) and George Jackson (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor HS) (1)).