HOT SECOND HALF SHOOTING HELPS INDIANA (PA) TO 75-72 WIN OVER BOWIE STATE

HOT SECOND HALF SHOOTING HELPS INDIANA (PA) TO 75-72 WIN OVER BOWIE STATE

INDIANA, Pa. – The ever-elusive victory No. 1 evaded the Bulldogs, who fell 75-72 on the road against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The loss drops the Bowie State record to 0-3.

“I thought we played a terrific first half … We defended, rebounded well and played with a lot of energy, but in the second half we took some quick shots and bad shots which gave them some easy baskets”, said Bulldogs head coach Darrell Brooks.

Tonight, IUP’s Mathis Keita scored the game’s final 10 points as the Bulldogs’ could not hang on to seven-point lead. Bowie State senior Byron Westmorland paced the Bulldogs with 22 points and five rebounds. Senior Najee White had a productive evening, scoring 20 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds.

On the other side, IUP’s Marcel Souberbielle (19 points, six rebounds), Devante Chance (12 points, four eight rebounds and four assists) and Blake Vedder (12 points, three rebounds and three blocks) proved to be the Bulldogs nemesis.

The IUP Crimson Hawks (2-0) also ensured the victory from the free throw line shooting 80 percent (20-25) on the evening. IUP torched the Kovalchick Complex twine at 69.6 percent in the final period, knocking down 16-of-23 shots from the floor and 18-of-21 free throws over the final 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs held their own on the night from the charity stripe, shooting 83 percent (15-18) but shot just 38.8 percent from the floor while IUP shot 50 percent on the night.

The Bulldogs got help from senior Dameatric Scott who chipped in his own 11 points and four rebounds but his team could not close the game out at the end. Scott was charged with a late technical foul that shifted the momentum from the Bulldogs to IUP.

But in the end, the Bulldogs could have sealed their own fate but junior guard Ray Gatling failed to sink the second of two free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining that may have sent the game into overtime.

Closing out tight games has proven difficult for the Bulldogs, as their first two games of the season (both losses) came by a combined eight points.

“I feel we kind of found ourselves again … Sometimes you learn a lesson but you don’t get a win, but I felt it was important tonight that we re-learned who Bowie State is, what we’re all about and I truly feel this team will be a dangerous team as we move forward”, said Brooks.

The Bulldogs get a needed week off before they have to face Augusta State University Nov. 21 in Augusta, Ga. for their next game.  After the Chic-Fil-A Classic hosted by Virginia State University - Nov. 23 and 24, the Bulldogs will open their home schedule with a showdown against Cheyney University (Pa.) Nov. 27 in the A.C. Jordan Arena at the Leonidas S. James Complex.