Box Score The Lincoln University women's basketball team rallied from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Chowan University 71-68 Wednesday night in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.
 
The win improves the Lions record to 16-9 overall and 10-5 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association games.  Lincoln also improves to 5-4 within the North Division and is in a three way tie for second place within the North with Chowan and Virginia State University (The Lions' final regular season opponent).  The Hawks fall to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in CIAA contests (5-4 North Division).
 
The victory was also just the second time the Lions have defeated the Hawks on their home court with the first coming on January 23, 2012, a 68-67 win.
 
Teira Pendleton (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytech) led four Lions in double figures with 18 points.  Shecquan Bailey (Salisbury, Md./Snow Hill (Baltimore City C.C.)) had 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Ashley Paynes-Hightower (Peoria, Ill./Peoria (Harford C.C.)) also scored 13 points (6-8 FG) and grabbed eight rebounds.   Shahra Madison (Chesapeake, Va./Norfolk Collegiate School (Chesapeake College)) chipped in 11 points (5-8 FG) and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.  Brianna Logan (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley (Siena)) had four assists while Ariana Fleming (Newark, Del./Hodgon Vo-Tech) equaled her career high with eight points and had a career-high four steals.
 
Mariah Coker led the Hawks with 18 points.  Chantel Roberts recorded a double-double with 15 points and ten boards.  Dhyamond Crenshaw and Jordan Pettaway had 11 and ten points respectively.  Danielle Weldon led all players with five blocks while Roberts added four.
 
The Hawks led by three heading into the fourth quarter and the Lions quickly tied the game at 52-52 on Pendleton's traditional three point play less than a minute in. The two teams were still tied at 56-56 when the Hawks ran off seven straight points to take a 63-56 lead with 6:30 remaining.    A Bailey three-ball then started a 14-2 run that erased the deficit and gave the Lions a five point lead with under 30 seconds remaining.  Chowan's only two points in the run came on the free throw line as Lincoln's defense forced ten straight misses by the Hawks over the course of the run.  Pendleton made two straight baskets with the Chowan free throws sandwiched in between before Logan tied the game at 65-65 with a jumper at the 3:11 mark.  Payne's Hightower and Bailey added baskets and a Bailey Free throw with 22 seconds left capped the run and made the score 70-65.  Crenshaw made the first of two free throws and Coker sank CU's first basket since the 6:30 mark to pull the Hawks within two 70-68 with two seconds left.  A quick foul put Paynes-Hightower on the line.  The senior forward made the first and missed the second leaving the Hawks no chance to get off a shot or call a timeout to set something up.
 
Chowan outscored the Lions 17-12 in the opening period and scored the first five points of the second quarter to take their biggest lead at 22-12.  Lincoln countered with a 14-0 uprising to take a 26-22 lead before easing into a 32-30 lead at the break.
 
The Hawks came out of the break on fire, producing a 53% shooting effort in the period to retake the lead 52-49 setting up the scenario for the fourth quarter and the Lincoln comeback.
 
Lincoln finished the game shooting 42.9% from the field (27-63) and more importantly cut down on the turnovers.  After committing 30 against the Hawks earlier this season, the Lions turned the ball over just 16 times and limiting the Hawks to just 13 points off turnovers while scoring 15 of their own.  Lincoln also turned in a better effort from the free throw line, making 15-of-24 (62.5%) to Chowan's 10-of-22 (45.5%).  Chowan did hold a slim 46-44 advantage rebounding, including a 13-9 edge on the offensive glass.
 
The Lions conclude the regular season with a game at Virginia State on Saturday, February 24, 2018 before heading to Charlotte, North Carolina for the CIAA Championship Tournament.