The Lincoln University men's basketball team placed four players in double figures led by Deaquan Williams' (Camden, N.J./Camden) 19 points as they dropped their Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener 95-81 to host Johnson c. Smith University at Brayboy Gym in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Lions fall to 1-6 overall and 0-1 in CIAA games.   The Golden Bulls improve to 4-1 overall and  1-0 in league play.

Williams notched his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds while Zahrion Blue (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) added 13 points.  Deonta Dunlap (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) and Markus Stevenson (Voorhees, N.j./Hillcrest Prep (Ariz.) (Angelina College)) added 11 and 10 points respectively.  Jordan Camper (Chester, Pa./Chester) had eight points and eight rebounds.  Blue and Keynante Williams (Fredericksburg, Va./Rock Creek Christian Academy) led the team with three assists apiece.

The first half featured seven ties and six lead changes as the Golden Bulls jumped out to an early 10-2 lead only to see the Lions Roar back with an 18-6 uprising to take a 20-16 lead at the nine-minute mark.  JCSU came back to tie the game twice in the next 2:15 and then took a one-point lead 28-27 with 5:34 left.  The golden Bulls went on an 8-3 run to lead by six with just under three minutes left and took a 40-35 lead into the locker-room at halftime.

The Golden Bulls scored the first ten points of the half to push their lead to 15 and never looked back, essentially living at the foul line, shooting 34 free throws (making 28) in the half and increasing their lead to as many as 22 before the Lions closed out the game with a 14-7 spurt to make the final margin 14, 95-81.  Camper had seven of Lincoln's 14 points in their final run.

Xavier Jones led JCSU with 26 points and 11 rebounds while Cayse Minor added 25 points (12-12 FT).  Justice Goodloe had 13 points and nine assists and Austin Nelson added 12 points. 

The Golden Bulls took 51 free throws in the contest, making 41 and outscoring the lions 41-18 at the line.  JCSU shot 46.2% (24-52) while the Lions while making three more field goals than the Golden Bulls connected on just 27 of 80 (33.8%) of their shots from the field.  Lincoln held a slim 46-45 rebounding edge and committed three fewer turnovers (8-11).

The men's basketball team returns to action on Monday, November 25, 2019 when they play Winston-Salem State University at the Gaines Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.