Box Score (BOWIE, Md.)  Bowie State University entered the game as the 15th ranked team in the country and came away with an 84-78 home win over Goldey-Beacom College after a 12-day layoff.  The victory improves Bowie State's overall record to 8-1 while Goldey-Beacom drops to 5-5.  The win was Bowie State's fifth in a row and keeps their home streak alive at 14 since the end of the 2009 season. 

“I thought they (Goldey-Beacom) was sharper than we were … I thought we didn't defend like we're capable of for most of the game, but we're happy to get the victory”, said third year BSU head coach Darrell Brooks.  Playing for the first time in 12 days, Brooks said, “With these long gaps between games, we don't have a game rhythm yet but I'm sure we'll get that by mid-January.”

Bowie State started slow but took its first lead at 9-7 at the 14:55 mark of the first period on a 3-pointer by senior Darren Clark.  Back-to-back layups by Goldey-Beacom's Tariq Uqdah and Ido Yehudo shifted the advantage back over to the Lightning.  Bowie State junior Byron Westmorland answered with a layup of his own to tie the game at 11-11 and a short jumper by junior Najee White put the Bulldogs back in front.

The lead would change hands three more times of the next 12 plus minutes before an Uqdah jumper sent Goldey-Beacom into halftime with a 38-36 lead.

Goldey-Beacom hit 13-of-25 field goals (52 percent) over the first 20 minutes, which included 4-of-8 beyond the 3-point line.  The Lightning also made 8 of their 11 first half free throws.

Bowie State ended the first half with a 48 percent field goal percentage (13-of-27), which included 6-of15 triples.

The Lightning took their largest lead of the night at 42-36 until a Westmorland 3-pointer trimmed the BSU deficit to 44-43 by the 16:45 mark of the second half.  Goldey-Beacom held off Bowie State until a thunderous dunk by Bulldogs senior Travis Hyman tied the game for the ninth time.

A twisting jumper in the paint by junior Bryan Wilson gave the advantage back to Bowie State for good at 66-64 with 6:39 left to play.  The Bulldogs went on an 11-3 run over the next four minutes to take its largest lead of the contest at 77-67, with just over two minutes left to play.

Bowie State improved their shooting percentage in the second half, hitting 16-of-27 field goals (62 percent), including 4-of-5 behind the 3-point line.  The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Lightning 36-28 and forced the guests into 19 turnovers.
Clark led the Bulldogs with 22 points and fellow senior Jay Gavin and junior Byron Westmorland added 16 points each for Bowie State.  Hyman rounded out Bowie State's double figure scorers with 11 points to go along with a game-high four blocked shots and seven rebounds.

As a team, Bowie State shot a season-low 55 percent from the free throw line (16-of-29), compared to 64 percent for Goldey-Beacom (18-of-28). 

A.J. Picard paced the Lightning with team-highs of 21 points nine rebounds and Rich Flemming chipped in 18.  Uqdah contributed 14 points and was second on the team in rebounds with five.

Bowie State opens (CIAA) conference play – Thursday, January 5th, hosting the Broncos of Fayetteville State University at 7:30 pm as part of a doubleheader with the Lady Bulldogs.