January 12, 2002 – Raleigh, NC – The Shaw University Bears took part in their fifth CIAA season match up of the season against the Bowie State University Bulldogs.   The Bears and Bulldogs intensely battled as the score was tied on six different occasions and there were eight alternating lead changes. Unfortunately, a late spurt by BSU in the final five minutes of the second half led to Shaw being dealt a 68 – 58 loss.

Both teams experienced an unspecified degree of difficulty in the first three minutes of play in the first half as neither CIAA contender could successfully configure a field goal or a free throw to tally any points to the scoreboard. Finally just inside the 17 minutes mark, BSU’s #30 Christian Jackson made a mid range jumper to give the Bulldogs a 2 – 0 lead. However, the Bears took a 6 – 2 lead after a three-pointer by #20 Robert “And One” Espinosa (Forward / 6 – 7 / Senior / Plainfield, NJ) and #34 John “Kash” Kornegay (Guard / 5 – 10 / Senior / Detroit, MI). Shaw doubled their point margin advantage to eight points, 10 – 8, after both Espinosa and #00 Cori Gaither (Forward / 6 – 5 / Senior / Jacksonville, FL) took possession of an offensive rebound and tossed in putbacks. Unfortunately, the Bears would undergo a severe scoring drought in which the Bulldogs used to burst on an 8 – 0 scoring run. BSU led 21 – 18 with a little more than five minutes on the game clock. At the 3:23 mark, Gaither tied the game at 21 – 21 after he made one of two free throw attempts. The Bulldogs produced two putbacks, but three-pointers by #5 Brandon Armistead (Guard / 6 – 3 / Junior / Brooklyn, NY) and #21 Brandon Greene (Forward / 6 – 6 / Senior / Slidell, LA) gave the Bears a 27 – 25 lead. Shaw’s Head Coach Robert Brickey called for a thirty second timeout with 53.7 seconds left in the half as Shaw trailed BSU by one, 28 – 27.  The Bulldogs misfired on the second of two free throw attempts to take possession of a key offensive rebound. The Bulldogs led 30 – 27 at halftime.

Immediately in the opening of the second half, #1 Will “Takeover” Graham (Guard / 5 – 10 / Junior / Minneapolis, MN) sparked the nets with a long range two pointer to bring the Bears within one of the Bulldogs. BSU attempted to break away out of the Bears’ reach with quick post productions, but Shaw administered a leash on the Bulldogs back to tie the game at 40 – 40 with three-pointers by the “Twin Towers,” Espinosa and Greene, and a tip-in by #30 Damola “Mr. Post Man” Obadina (Forward / 6 – 5 / Senior / Minneapolis, MN). The Bulldogs and Bears traded made three-pointers once again to tie the game at 43 – 43. BSU snapped a knot of 45 – 45 to take hold of a 52 – 48 lead with five minutes left. Head Coach Robert Brickey called for a full timeout at the 4:12 mark as BSU led 59 – 50 after making two free throws and a couple of fast break buckets. As time speedily ticked off of the game clock, BSU scurried away as a result of a plethora of post production and fast break baskets.

Leading the Bears in scoring was #1 Will Graham with 15 points (two rebounds / two assists / three steals). Providing additional scoring was #30 Damola Obadina with nine points (ten rebounds / three assists / one steal) and #20 Robert Espinosa with eight points (five rebounds / two steals). Obadina led with a team high 10 rebounds.