The Lincoln University women's basketball team placed three players in double figures but struggled shooting from the field as they lost their first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association road contest of the season 62-53 at Fayetteville State University Thursday evening in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The Lions fall to 3-10 overall and 1-3 in CIAA games.  The Fayetteville Lady Broncos improve to 3-9 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Diamond Mickle (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul VI (Va.) (Harford C.C.)) recorded a double-double, her second of the season, with 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lions.   Teira Pendleton (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytech) came off the bench to score 12 points while She'cquan Bailey (Denton, Md/Baltimore City CC) added 11 points and four steals.

Shantel Bennett led the Lady Broncos with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  De'Aira Smith added 12 points while Breona Jones chipped in 11.  Jones also led all players with four assists.

Lincoln and FSU played a closed first 20 minutes with the lead trading hands several times, with neither team holding a lead greater than five points at any time in the first two quarters.  The Lady Broncos came away with a slim 26-25 lead at the break. The two teams combined to shoot 55% (11-20) in the first quarter but fell to just 13.7% (4-29) in the second which led to the low scoring output on both sides.

The Lady Broncos opened the third quarter with a 9-2 flourish to take a 35-27 lead with just 3:05 left.  Pendleton's field goal at the 2:21 mark was Lincoln's only field goal of the period as Fayetteville maintained their eight point lead heading into the fourth and final period.

A layup from Jones pushed FSU's lead to ten as the fourth quarter opened before the Lions ran off nine straight points  to close within one 44-43 with 7:48 left.  Pendleton started the scoring with a traditional three-point play and Mickle and Jaeda Davis (Milwaukee, Wis./ Rufus King HS) followed with a pair of free throws apiece. Pendleton completed the run with a layup and was fouled, giving the Lions a chance to tie the game.  Pendleton however missed the free throw and FSU hung onto a slim one point lead.  The Lady Broncos countered the Lincoln run with a 10-3 spurt of their own to push their lead back to eight at 54-46 with 2:23 left.   Lincoln had one last run in them, a 7-2 spurt that closed the gap to three 56-53 with just 37 seconds left.  The Lady Broncos scored the final six points to make the final margin 62-53.

Lincoln finished the game shooting 26% (13-50) for the game and 0-8 from three-point range.  It marked the first time the Lions were held without a three-point field goal all season and just the second time in their last 72 games dating back to February 2013. 

Fayetteville finished the game shooting 33.3% (17-51) and shot 1-6 from beyond the arc.  The two teams combined to shoot 78 free throws with both squads making 27 (LU 27-40; FSU 27-38).  The Lady Broncos also held a 44-38 advantage on the boards.

Lincoln returns to action on Saturday, January 7, 2017 when they play St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m.