Bears Basketball - Shaw Loses at JCSU 68-67

Shaw Loses on Last Second JCSU Free Throw, 68-67

(Raleigh, NC) – With eight seconds left in the game, Johnson C. Smith’s Jerry Hollis hit the second of two free throws, giving the Golden Bulls the 68-67 win over Shaw.

Free throws were the story of the game as the Johnson C. Smith (14-6, 8-5 CIAA) went to the line 36 time versus 19 attempts for Shaw (10-10, 7-6 CIAA).

Both teams got balanced scoring throughout the lineup. Five JCSU players tallied in double figures, while three did the same for Shaw.

The Golden Bulls ran out to a 12-2 lead by the 14:08 mark in the first. But with 9:17 left in the half, Dwight Bell’s layup for Shaw tied the game at 15.

The rest of the half, the two teams played evenly, with Shaw taking the slight 27-23 lead into the locker room.

Shaw continued to build on the lead through the early part of the second half. With 14:01 left in the game, a dunk by Rodney Callwood gave the Bears a 45-36 lead.

Over the next 14 minutes, JCSU would score 32 points – eight buckets and 16 made free throws.

The Golden Bulls cut into the lead slowly, trimming it to one on a Brian Mobley dunk and conversion of a free throw for the three-point play. Shaw put the lead at 67-62 with 3:06 left on a Callwood dunk, but would not score again.

James Dillard scored five unanswered points for JCSU, tying the game at 67, then after Hollis gave the Golden Bulls the lead, Dillard blocked a Michael Smith layup attempt and Hollis blocked an Eric Pitts jumper to seal the win.

Callwood led the Bears with 16 points and nine rebounds. Raheem Smith had 13 points and seven assists, while Pitts had 11 points.

For the Golden Bulls, Hollis had 14 points, Brain Mobley 13, Ronald Thornhill and Dillard with 11, and Dante’ Drummer with ten. Hollis led JCSU with seven rebounds.

The Bears return home Monday, February 8 against Livingstone at 7:30. Prior to the tip, the Bears will honor Shaw alum and current Charlotte Bobcat Ronald “Flip” Murray by retiring his number.

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