BULLDOGS TASTE FIRST VICTORY WITH 85-74 WIN OVER FLORIDA MEMORIAL LIONS

BULLDOGS TASTE FIRST VICTORY WITH 85-74 WIN OVER FLORIDA MEMORIAL LIONS

PETERSBURG, Va. – The four-game slide is over for Bowie State (1-4) after the Bulldogs claimed its first victory of the season, cruising to an 85-74 win over the Lions of Florida Memorial University.

Senior Najee White scored a game-high 24 points and fellow senior Byron Westmorland grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs. White also recorded career-bests of four blocked shots and five assists to go along with eight rebounds. Westmorland scored over 20 points for the fifth time this season, contributing 23 points and marked his third career double-double. Senior Bryan Wilson also notched double figures, adding 10 points.

Adam Braswell led Florida Memorial (2-2) with 21 points to go along with four steals, two assists and two rebounds. Samuel Dorismond and Adrian White provided 18 and 15 points respectively for the Lions.

The Bulldogs defense put the clamps on the Lions from the opening tip, jumping out to a 13-0 advantage in the games’ first six minutes. During the Bulldogs run, White was personally responsible for eight points, two on huge dunks.

Florida Memorial’s Dorismond put the first two points on the board for the Lions via a pair of free throws at the 14:13 mark of the first period. The Lions trimmed the deficit to 18-15 a few minutes later, but the Bulldogs pushed the lead up to a dozen (46-34) by intermission.

Bowie State hit 19-of-33 first half field goals, which included 6-of-11 behind the arc. The Bulldogs dominated inside, holding a 29-10 points in the paint advantage over the first 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs were never really threatened the entire afternoon, only allowing the Lions within seven points in the second half at 50-43. Bowie State’s defense held Florida Memorial to 39 percent field goal shooting in both halves.

Bowie State ended their first game in the Chick-fil-A Classic shooting 57.6 percent from the field (19-of-33) and won the battle on the glass (45-38). The Bulldogs inside dominance really showed on the stat sheet after the game as Bowie State scored 55 of its points in the paint.

The Bulldogs will close out the weekend with a Saturday (11/24) 4:30 pm non-conference matchup against Virginia University of Lynchburg. Virginia – Lynchburg lost 73-54 to host Virginia State in Friday’s (11/23) nightcap of the Chick-fil-A Classic.