BOX SCORE

(ELIZABETH CITY, N.C.) Elizabeth City State University avenged an earlier season blowout and surprised Bowie State University 55-51 in a CIAA Eastern Division contest. The loss, Bowie State's second in a row, dropped the Lady Bulldogs record to 12-6 overall, 12-4 in the CIAA and 2-2 in the East.

Bowie State hit a dry spell late in the first half, allowing Elizabeth City State to go on a 14-2 run which resulted into a 24-17 advantage by the 3:59 mark. Elizabeth City State held the lead and went into the break leading 28-20.

Elizabeth City State (14-8, 9-8 CIAA, 2-3 East) shot 44 percent in the first 20 minutes, making 10-of-23 from the floor while holding Bowie State to 30 percent (7-of-23). Junior Teaunsha Robinson (Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Polytechnic) led the BSU Lady Bulldogs scoring in the first half with 10 points.

Elizabeth City State went cold early in the second half, going over seven minutes without scoring a point. Crystal Smith broke the drought with a stick back in the paint with 9:48 left to play, but the Lady Vikings trailed 37-35.

Bowie State kept the Lady Vikings at bay until back-to-back field goals by Johnson, pulled Elizabeth City State within one at 51-50 with 1:11 remaining in the game. ECSU's Freeman drilled a 3-pointer with 43 seconds to go and added a pair of free throws to seal the victory for the Lady Vikings. 

"We fell short at the free throw line and missed too many easy shots", said a frustrated second-year Bowie State head coach Donna Polk.   "Coming off the loss to Virginia State, we took that hard but felt the ladies were collectively motivated together enough to get it down!"
 
Senior Joyce Freeman (Vanceboro, N.C.) led Elizabeth City State with 13 points and seniors Shaquella Johnson (Elizabeth City, N.C.) along with Ashley Anderson added nine and eight points respectively.

BSU's Lady Bulldogs were led by Robinson with a game-high 22 points. Junior Lakisha Walker (Baltimore, MD, St. Frances Academy) led both teams in rebounds, grabbing a game-high nine for the Lady Bulldogs.

The Bowie State Lady Bulldogs are scheduled to play at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania – Thursday (February 11) at 5:30 p.m., weather permitting. Elizabeth City State travels to Virginia Union – Thursday for a 5:30 contest in VUU's Barco-Stevens Hall.