Feb. 14, 2011
Final Stats
By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Love was in the air Monday ... for everyone but Maryland-Eastern Shore. Bethune-Cookman hammered the Hawks 86-50 in front of a Valentine's Day crowd in historic Moore Gymnasium and got a nice present help to move back into a first-place tie atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
CJ Reed's 21 point led five Wildcats into double figures as B-CU (15-11 overall, 9-3) won its second straight. Combined with North Carolina A&T's 74-63 win over first-place Hampton, the win lifted B-CU into a tie with Hampton and set the stage for a huge meeting between the teams Saturday.
A team noted for winning close games all season enjoyed the program's largest margin of victory in a conference game under Head Coach Clifford Reed. It was B-CU's first 30-point win in MEAC play since a 111-81 smacking of Norfolk State on January 31, 2000.
“I wish we could bottle that one up,” Reed said. “I'm at a loss for words because they performed admirably for 40 minutes.”
B-CU's ability to get out in transition created opportunities for everyone – the Wildcats placed five players in double figures for just the second time this season. The Wildcats shot a blistering 61 percent from the field to build up a 44-19 halftime lead.
“We picked up the pace and sustain the level of play,” Reed said. “We mixed up defenses and kept them off balance.”
UMES (6-19,3-19) scored the first seven points of the second half, but B-CU withstood the run and built the lead back to 25 on an Aric Miller free throw that made it 59-34 with 10:04 remaining, than the fun really began. For the first time all season in league play, Coach Reed could clear his bench.
“It was good not to be worried about a nailbiter,” Reed said. “It's good to get one of these games in league play.”
Alexander Starling had 18 points and 9 boards for B-CU, while Garrius Holloman had 17 points and 7 boards. Both the B-CU bigs were 7-8 from the field. Kevin Dukes and Stanley Elliott contributed 13, and 10 respectively.
