RALEIGH, NC – For the third-straight year, Shaw and Livingstone met in the first round of the CIAA Tournament.  Shaw won the first two meetings.

Tonight, things were different.

Livingstone used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to take control of a close game and held on to defeat the Bears 71-65 at RBC Center. 

Shaw (7-21) played one of its best halves of the season using a 12-2 run to jump out to a 17-7 lead, capped of by a Daniel Jackson lay-up with 11 minutes 56 seconds remaining in the first half.  Livingstone (17-11) closed the gap to 23-19 on two free throws by McNeil with 5:46 remaining in the first.  But the Bears continued to control the ball and limit their turnovers and extended their lead to 31-23 on a jumper by Jason Coleman with 1:58 remaining in the half.  That would be the last field goal the Bears would make in the half and back-to-back three-pointers by Thomas Hughes and Brent Cowles, cut Shaw’s lead to 31-29.  Three-pointers kept the Blue Bears in the game as they connected on 6-of-13 in the half as Shaw led 33-30 at halftime.

The Bears shooting woes continued in the second half and Livingstone took the lead they would never relinquish as John Booker’s jumper at the 17:20 mark of the second half, put the Blue Bears ahead 35-33.  Although the Blue Bears missed their first six three-pointers of the second half, they started to get hot using the 10-0 run and led 49-39 as Lamar Byrd’s three-pointer capped the run.  The Blue Bears went 4-of-4 from the field during the run hitting two three-pointers. 

Shaw would make one last run using tough defense, forcing Livingstone into four turnovers in a two-minute span, and a 13-4 run to pull to within 57-56 on James Rosebud’s jumper with 2:05 remaining.  Shaw could not get over the hump and two outlet passes by Livingstone for easy lay-ups, coupled by Bear turnovers down the stretch sealed the victory for the Blue Bears.

McNeil had a game high 20 points.  Byrd and John Booker were also in double figures for the Blue Bears with 14 and 13 points, respectively.  Rosebud led four Shaw scorers in double figures with 17 points and also pulled down a game high 11 rebounds.