BOWIE STATE HOLDS OFF DIVISION LEADING ELIZABETH CITY STATE 70-68

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BOWIE, Md. – Seniors Byron Westmorland (Baltimore, Md.) and Najee White (Jamaica Queens, N.Y.) recorded a game-high 22 points each to lead Bowie State University to an exciting 70-68 victory over the Northern division leading Vikings of Elizabeth City State University.

Westmorland was 6-of-18 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line while White was 8-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-7 at the charity stripe. White pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and senior Bryan Wilson hit 5-of-7 field goals to round out the Bulldogs double figure scorers with 12 points.

The Bulldogs (9-11 overall, 5-6 CIAA, 2-3 CIAA North) opened the game with a 5-0 advantage on a free throw by junior Ray Gatling (Oxon Hill, Md.) and a pair of free throws and jumper by Westmorland.

Elizabeth City State used a 7-2 run to pull even at the 16:44 mark of the first half on field goals by AJ Johnson (Holly Springs, N.C.) and Deon Rice (Detroit, Mich.) and two free throws by Ade Barek (London, England).

A lay-up by Bowie State sophomore Joel Clemmons (Forest Heights, Md.) gave the Bulldogs their first double-digit lead at 25-14 with 9:02 left in the opening period. The Bulldogs lead grew to 45-30 by halftime on 15-of-38 shooting (39.5 percent) from the floor and 12-of-15 shooting (80 percent) from the free throw line.

The Vikings came out of a chilly A.C. Jordan Arena locker room with an 18-2 run to take their first lead of the evening at 48-47, primarily behind the hot shooting of Glenn Patterson (Red Springs, N.C.) and Angelo Sharpless (Plymouth, N.C.).

Elizabeth City State (13-8, 6-5 CIAA, 4-1 CIAA North) made four 3-pointers to start the second half while Bowie State turned the ball over five times during that stretch.

Bowie State senior Dameatric Scott (Hagerstown, Md.) shifted the advantage back over to the Bulldogs, only to have a Sharpless 3-pointer give the lead back to the Vikings.

Elizabeth City State experienced its largest lead at 56-50 following a pair of free throws by Rashaad Sneed (Durham, N.C.).

Wilson’s lone 3-pointer of the game pulled Bowie State within three at 56-53 at the 12:10 mark of the second half. The Bulldogs regained the lead for good at 62-61 following a White lay-up with 7:54 remaining in the game.

A three-point play by Elizabeth City State’s Dominique Byrd (Fuquy-Varina, N.C.) and a Sneed lay-up knotted the game at 66 with 5:09 left to play.

Over the next 4:22, neither team would score until a deep triple by Bowie State’s Westmorland with 47 seconds left in the game put the Bulldogs ahead to stay.

“I have a lot of respect for them (ECSU), a lot of respect for their coach (Shawn Walker) and I really love Angelo Sharpless as player. There a tough, physical basketball team, but I think tonight we out toughed them”, said Bulldogs head coach Darrell Brooks.

Sharpless led the way for Elizabeth City State with 13 points to go along with seven rebounds. Rice and Patterson contributed a dozen points apiece and Byrd added 10 points.  Barek was the leading Vikings rebounder with 10.

Bowie State resumes play with a rematch against Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Saturday (February 9^th) at 4 pm in LU’s Manuel Rivero Hall.