The Lincoln University women's basketball team played their first game in two weeks but there was no rust visible as the Lions picked up where they left off, opening 2020 with a big 84-56 win over Livingstone College Saturday afternoon at Manuel Rivero Gym.

The Lions, ranked #5 in the most recent D2SIDA regional poll and receiving votes in both the WBCA and D2SIDA national polls, improve to 12-2 on the season.  Livingstone fall to 4-7.  The game was designated as a non-conference game as the Lions defeated the Blue Bears in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) contest earlier this season 68-61 in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Kwanza Murray (Summerville, S.C./Summerville (Lackawanna College)) led all scorers with 29 points.  The senior guard connected on nine of 15 shots (60%) from the field which included a 56% effort from beyond the arc (5-9) and made six of seven free throws.  DeAshia Young (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Public Safety Academy (Labette CC)) narrowly missed a double-double dishing out a season high nine-assists while scoring 18 points. Joy Morton (Lansdowne, Pa./Penn Wood (Harford C.C.)) added nine rebounds to lead all players.  Twelve different Lincoln players scored at least one point in the contest.

Murray and young and Shantel Cheeks (Washington D.C./Rock Creek Christian Academy (Harcum College)) combined to score 18 of the Lions 22 first quarter points as LU used a 16-6 run in the final 5:28 to take a 22-14 lead after one period of play.  Cheeks opened the run with a three-point bucket from the baseline, erasing LC's slim two point lead.  She scored the Lions next basket and Murray followed with a layup-and one.  Murray and young later added back-to-back three balls to push the lead to eight.

Lincoln's defense clamped down to start the second quarter, holding the Blue Bears without a point until the 5:33 mark.  The Lions however also could not score until Janya Lilly's (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Poly Tech) basket at the 5:11 mark.  Following Lilly's basket the Lions closed out the quarter with a 12-5 run to take a 36-21 lead at the half.

Twelve third quarter points from Murray helped the Lions increase their lead to as many as 24 points in the third quarter before the Blue Bears closed the gap to 19 by the end of the period.  Murray added nine more points in the final quarter and held a 31-point lead with two minutes left in the game.  LC's Daisa Harris and Darra Walker added baskets in the final minute of player to round of Livingstone's scoring as the Lions competed the season sweep.

Harris led Livingstone with 24 points (10-25 FG) while Walker came off the bench to score 15 (4-20 FG, 3-16 3FG).  Victoria Onozie added nine points and a team-high six rebounds.

The Lions return to action on Tuesday, January 7, 2019 as they travel to face Elizabeth City State University in the first game of a three game road swing through North Carolina.