BOX SCORE

(INSTITUTE, W.Va.)  Senior Duke Crews (Hampton, VA, Bethel, Univ. of Tennessee) scored a career-high 27 points, ripped down 19 rebounds and blocked four shots, but West Virginia State University was able to hold on down the stretch to defeat Bowie State University 95-89.  The loss evens Bowie State's record at 3-3 overall.

“They simple played harder than we did and we cannot let that happen”, said first year coach Darrell Brooks.  West Virginia State University took a 45-38 advantage into the half and led by 11 points twice in the first half while shooting 47 percent. The WVSU Yellow Jackets made 20-of-43 from the floor in the first stanza, which included five-of-16 behind the 3-point line.

Bowie State University hit 16-of-42 first period field goals (38 percent), including four-of-five behind the arc. Crews scored 10 of his game-high point total in the first half and junior Eric Vann came off the bench to add seven first half points.

West Virginia State (7-1) pushed the lead back to double-digits (49-39) early in the second half when junior Justin Banks (Columbus, OH) scored a layup at the 18:24 mark. Bowie State went on a 14-6 run to trim the deficit to 55-52 with 14:37 left to play. West Virginia State went on a run of their own, outscoring Bowie State 15-5 over the next four minutes to push the lead up to 12 (70-58)

West Virginia State maintained a double figure lead until a ferocious dunk by Crews seemed to ignite the Bowie State Bulldogs. Bowie State battled back and narrowed the gap to two points (90-88) with 1:01 remaining in the game. However, that's a close as Bowie State would get.

Bowie State improved their shooting in the second half (57 percent) but so did West Virginia State. WVSU's Yellow Jackets ignited the Fleming Hall nets at a 58 percent clip in the final 20 minutes, knocking down 19-of-33 field goals.

Junior Will Thomas (Cleveland, OH) came off the West Virginia State bench to score a team-high 19

points and tied for team-high rebound honors (Darren Jones) with eight. Junior Josh Miller and sophomore Bo King added 17 and 13 points respectively for the Yellow Jackets.

Junior Jamal Hyman (Plymouth, NC, T.C. Williams, Montgomery C.C. - Takoma Park) was the only other Bowie State player to score in double figures, contributing 13 points and a team-high five assists.

The Bowie State Bulldogs will close out the first half of the season – Saturday, December 19th on the road against the Shepherd University Rams. Tip time is set for 4 p.m.