BALTIMORE, MD — The Bowie State men's basketball team battled until the final seconds but narrowly lost 86-83 to Fayetteville State in the CIAA Quarterfinals at CFG Bank Arena Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs led by nine at halftime and controlled much of the first half, but Fayetteville State surged late in the second half to secure a narrow win.
Bowie State wasted no time setting the tone, as
Nazaire Hinton knocked down a jumper in the paint just 13 seconds into the contest. The Bulldogs established their presence early, thanks strong interior play and rebounding.
KJ West sparked the offense with multiple early buckets and controlled the glass, while
Charles Thomas, III, and
Jailin Landis stretched the floor from beyond the arc.
Despite a brief surge from FSU midway through the half, Bowie State maintained its composure. West connected from three at the 5:14 mark, and Landis added points from deep and the free-throw line to help the Bulldogs head into the locker room with a 41-32 lead.
The second half turned into a back-and-forth battle. The Broncos gradually chipped away at the deficit before taking their first late lead with 1:33 remaining. The Bulldogs responded immediately when
Jordan Downs came up with a steal and converted a fastbreak layup to put BSU ahead 83-82 with just 23 seconds left.
However, Fayetteville State answered on the ensuing possession with a layup to reclaim the lead, and two free throws in the closing seconds sealed the 86-83 decision.
Bowie State Top Performers
KJ West
- 24 points
- 10 rebounds
- 7 assists
Charles Thomas, III
- 17 points
- 4-of-7 from three-point range
- 3 blocks
Jailin Landis
- 14 points
- 3 assists
- 2 steals
Jaiden McGhee
- 12 points
- 8 rebounds
- 2 steals
Joseph Allen
- 7 points
- 9 rebounds
- 3 blocks
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sports teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
