With Shaw trailing 55-53 freshman Benjamin Zoa hit a three-pointer with 47 seconds putting the Bears ahead and ultimately propelling the Bears to a 58-55 victory at Spaulding Gymnasium.  For the Bears, it was their first victory of the season. 

After missing its first three-point attempt, Presbyterian (3-3) hit four-straight three-pointers in jumping out to a 12-2 lead, capped off by Trey Ballenger’s three at the 15:59 mark of the first half.  Shaw then stepped up its defense holding the Blue Hose scoreless for five minutes, 44 seconds.  The Blue Hose had 11 possessions during that period and Shaw forced seven turnovers.  Shaw went on a 14-0 run and James Rosebud’s lay-up with 11:04 remaining gave the Bears a 16-12 lead.  Drew Biggs’ three-pointer tied the score at 16-16, but Nate Aaron untied the game with a three-pointer of his own giving Shaw a 19-16 lead.  Presbyterian took a 22-21 lead on a Brian Epperly jumper with 3:16 remaining.  

But the Bears (1-3) roared back and closed the half with an 8-1 run taking a 29-24 lead into the locker room.  Shaw extended its lead to 31-24 on a Daniel Jackson jumper with 18:46 remaining in the second half.  A 7-0 run by the Blue Hose tied the score at 31-31 with 15:56 remaining.  Neither team led by more than four points from that point on as the Blue Hose led 53-49 on a three-pointer by Biggs with 3:44 remaining.  But the Bear defense was tough down the stretch forcing the Blue Hose into 24 turnovers.  Two free throws by Rosebud and an emphatic follow-up dunk by Jackson tied the game at 53-53 with 1:31 remaining.  Johann Collins’ lay-up with a minute remaining gave the Blue Hose a 55-53 lead setting up Zoa’s three-pointer.  Sean Dixon missed a jumper with 15 seconds remaining, which led to a fast break lay-up by Zoa making the score 58-55.  Pat Kiscaden’s three-point attempt at the buzzer was no good.

Jackson was the catalyst for the Bears on both offense and defense finishing with a game-high 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, four steals and five blocks.  Rosebud also had a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three blocked shots.  Biggs was five-of-10 from three-point range and finished with 15 points.

Shaw will travel to Georgia to take on Valdosta State on Friday at 4:00 p.m.