Thursday, February 26, 2015

Chowan Hawks Survive and Advance, Top Falcons 65-60

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  The Chowan University men's baketball team topped the Saint Augustine's University Falcons 65-60 on Wednesday evening in Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hawks advance to the quarterfinals with the victory and take on Bowie State University on Thursday at 3:00pm.

Saint Augustine's University ends their season with a 12-16 overall record while the Hawks advance with a 15-12 record.

Carlos Arroyo led all players in the contest with 18 points in the victory. Kyree Bethel added 15 points for the Hawks while Mark Anthony Buright chipped in 14 points. Trevis Buckhanon hauled in 12 rebounds (five offensive, seven defensive) for the Chowan Blue and White. Bethel now owns Chowan's single season three-point record with 85 three-pointers on the year.

Head coach Brett Vincent stated, "I'm very proud of our team. This is a big win for our team and for the university. We've lost some very close games this season and I think that helped prepare us for the tournament."

Anthony Gaskins led the effort for Saint Augustine's with 17 points while Raheem Jolliffe and Quincy January scored 15 points and 13 points, respectively. John Koger grabbed 12 rebounds in the setback (one offensive, 11 defensive).

Head coach MarQus Johnson commented, "I thought our team fought hard tonight. Unfortunately we got the short end of the stick on this one."

The contest featured seven lead changes and four tied scores. The Hawks' bench players accounted for 22 of the team's points. Chowan hot 38.5% from the floor while Saint Augustine's shot 33.3% from the floor over the course of the contest.

Jolliffee opened the contest with a jumper for Saint Augustine's but Buckhanon answered with a basket of his own on the Hawks' next possession. January's dunk gave the Falcons a 4-2 edge but Buright's three-pointer returned the advantage to Chowan. Gibson's jumper for Saint Augustine's led to a 6-0 run for the Falcons and left the Hawks trailing 10-5 by the 16:16 mark.

Chowan trailed until the 11:26 mark in the first half when Bethel drained two free throws to tie the score 13-13. Buright's jumper and made free throw pushed the Hawks ahead 16-13. The Falcons pulled within one point before Buright's three-pointer along with Smith's layup extended Chowan's lead to 21-15 with 8:10 on the clock before halftime.

Trailing 23-20 with 6:48 left in the first half, January's dunk followed by Joliffe's three-pointer returned the lead to Saint Augustine's with 5:24 left in the first half. Koger's jumper followed by Joliffe's free throws left the Hawks trailing 29-23.

Chowan and Saint Augustine's traded baskets for the remainder of the first half. Despite Tiron Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer, the Falcons held on to a 35-32 lead heading into halftime.

Buright started out the second half with a layup for the Hawks. Gibson answered with a basket for Saint Augustine's. With the score tied 39-39 and 15:23 left in the game, two free throws by Gibson and a jumper by Gaskins gave Saint Augustine's a 43-39 lead two minutes later. Three consecutive three-pointers, two by Carlos Arroyo and one by Bethel handed the Hawks a 48-43 advantage with 11:42 left in the game. Arroyo's bucket on Chowan's next possession gave the

Hawks a 50-43 lead and capped an 11-0 run.

Bethel's three-pointer with 7:57 on the clock gave the Hawks a nine point lead (55-46) and their largest advantage of the contest. Saint Augustine's used a 7-1 run capped by Gaskins' three-pointer brought the Falcons back within striking distance and cut the deficit to three points (56-53). Two made free throws by Chowan and a jumper by Buckhanon gave the Hawks a 60-53 cushion.

Down but not out the Falcons battled back using three made free throws by Joliffe along with his three-pointer to make the score 60-59 with 2:36 left in the game.

Both teams exchanged free throws for the remainder of the contest before the Hawks confirmed the 65-60 win with two made free throws by Bethel.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS

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