Charlotte, N.C. (Dec. 6, 2014) – The Johnson C. Smith men’s basketball team came back from as many as 22 points down to take a thrilling 61-60 win over visiting Morehouse in the CIAA-SIAC Challenge at Brayboy Gym on Saturday afternoon.
Morehouse got off to a quick start, jumping ahead of the Golden Bulls 16-7 at the 9:42 mark in the first half. A pair of free throws by JCSU’s Stedmon Lemon (Lithonia, Ga.) pulled the Golden Bulls to within 16-9. A Morehouse three-point play extended their lead to 20-9.
A dunk by the Maroon Tigers Tyrone Brown forced a JCSU timeout and boosted the Morehouse lead to 24-9 with 6:57 to play.
A steal and dunk by Gabon Williams (Charlotte, N.C.) drew the Golden Bulls to within 29-13 at 4:04 in the first half.
Robert Askew would put Morehouse up 35-16 on a layup, but missed the ensuing free throw attempt with 1:45 left in the first half. JCSU’s Lemon would hit a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to provide the 40-21 halftime advantage for Morehouse.
JCSU shot a dismal 8-25 (32%) from the field in the first half, including a 3-10 mark from long-range while Morehouse connected on 45.7% (16-35) of their shots.
Alandre Davis (Florence, S.C.) slammed home a follow off a miss early in the second half to begin the JCSU rally. A 16-7 JCSU run that included a Markel Lotharp (Marshville, N.C.) baseline jumper and a Williams layup would narrow the Morehouse lead to 44-33 with 11:52 remaining. Diondre Pratt (Morven, N.C.) would add a scooping layup during the run as well as two free throws at 10:52 to trim the Morehouse lead to 47-37.
JCSU would draw closer, forcing a Morehouse timeout when Robert Davis, III (West Friendship, Md.) would hit a jumper to make it 47-39 with 9:37 remaining.
Raston Brown (Hephizibah, Ga.) would pull JCSU to within one a 47-46 by making a twisting layup that banked in. The succeeding free throw would be good. Brown would give JCSU their first lead at 48-47 on another layup. Morehouse would regain the lead when Michael Scott would hit a three in front on the team bench to quiet the JCSU crowd. Following a JCSU turnover, Morehouse would go up 52-48 on a dunk from Tyrone Brown. Morehouse would add two free throws to go ahead 54-48 with 6:07 left.
A dunk by Lemon would bring JCSU closer at 54-51 following a Morehouse turnover. Alandre Davis would come up with the loose ball and would fire the outlet pass to Joshua Linson (San Antonio, Tex.). Linson then delivered the pass that set up the Lemon dunk.
Following another Morehouse turnover, Lotharp would hit two more free throws to draw within one at 54-53 with 2:24 remaining. On the ensuing Morehouse possession, Tyrius Walker would turn it over again. A JCSU turnover would lead to an apparent easy basket by Morehouse, but the lay up would draw iron, giving JCSU another opportunity to take the lead. The Golden Bulls would capitalize when Lotharp would drain a huge three from the top of the arc, giving JCSU the 56-54 lead with 1:32 left.
After a JCSU timeout, Morehouse would draw a foul, sending Michael Scott to the line for a pair of free throws. Scott would hit one, to bring Morehouse to within one at 56-55. Linson would try to put the game out of reach with a three, but was fouled by Johnathan Walker with 51.6 remaining. Linson would hit one-of-three foul shots to extend the JCSU lead to two at 57-55 with 45.1 remaining.
Out of the Morehouse timeout, the Maroon Tigers would tie it at 57-57 on a Brandon Glover jumper. Diondre Pratt’s slicing layup with 17.6 remaining gave JCSU the 59-57 lead. Following a JCSU timeout, a Morehouse three-point attempt by Scott was long and Lemon brought in the rebound and was fouled. Lemon hit two free throws to extend the lead to 61-57. Morehouse would call timeout with 1.7 and Scott heaved a half-court shot that beat the buzzer, but it was not enough as JCSU took the 61-60 win.
JCSU would finish the game shooting 21-50 (42%). The Golden Bulls were very efficient from the foul line hitting on 15 of 19 attempts (78.9%). Morehouse would shoot 38.3% (23-60) in the losing effort.
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