BULLDOGS VICTORIOUS OVER JOHNSON C. SMITH INSIDE THE BOBCATS ARENA
March 1, 2007
Bowie State fought off a gallant defensive effort by Johnson C. Smith to defeat the third seeded Golden Bulls, 68-62, Thursday night to advance to the semi-finals of the CIAA Basketball Tournament at the Charlotte Bobcat Arena.
Entering the contest as the sixth seed in the tournament, the Bulldogs led for all but 38 seconds of the first half. JCSU broke the third tie of the first half with a 4-0 run in the final minute to take a 30-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Golden Bulls faced a key loss early in the game when CIAA Rookie of the Year Jerry Hollis went down with an ankle injury. Sophomore Ryan Scott picked up the slack for JCSU, leading all scorers at the half with 10 points. BSU's Tyronne Beale and Orlando Wright each contributed nine points for the Bulldogs but CIAA Player of the Year Gil Goodrich was held scoreless at the half.
In the second half, BSU made an adjustment which allowed Goodrich to run the offense and become more involved. Bowie State out-rebounded Johnson C. Smith 25-13 in the second half, which set up more second chance opportunities. Without Hollis in the game for the JCSU, the Golden Bulls had limited offensive options in the second period.
Goodrich got involved by scoring as well as getting his teammates the ball in scoring position. With 4:10 left to play, Wright would hit a critical three point basket that would put Bowie State up 56-54, and the Bulldogs would not trail again in the contest.
Beale had a game-high 17 points and eight rebounds before picking up his fifth foul. Goodrich finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists; despite having nine turnovers and shooting just 16 percent (2-12) from the field. Joshua Johnson was also productive for the Bulldogs, pulling in 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Golden Bulls had only two players finish with double figures in points. Scott finished with 13 points and junior guard Edmund Rainey added 11 points and nine rebounds (8 defensive).
With the win, Bowie State moves on to the semi-finals to face the seventh seed Elizabeth City State Vikings, Friday, March 2, 2007 at 9:00 p.m.
