DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Double-doubles by
Shawntrez Davis and
Malik Maitland charged a second half comeback to lead Bethune-Cookman University to an 86-80 triumph against South Carolina State Wednesday evening at Historic Moore Gymnasium. The win gives the Wildcats (6-9, 1-0) a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opening victory, and snaps a four-game losing skid.
A 13-0 run mid-way through the second half fueled BCU's first victory when trailing after halftime this season. Maitland found
Isaiah Bailey for one of his 11 assists with 14:20 remaining to ignite the rally. Bailey scored eight of his 14 points in the stretch and BCU grabbed a 62-60 lead with 9:30 to go.
No side took more than a two-point lead until Jeff Altidort led an 8-0 run capped off by a Maitland trey at 3:28. Maitland finished with 15 points, and to compliment his 11 assists, did not turn the ball over.
The Wildcats sank four of their final six free throw attempts to ice the game, including a pair from
Brandon Tabb who finished with 16 points.
The Bulldogs (4-12, 0-1) rebounded from an 11-3 Wildcat outburst to start the game with an impressive 14-2 run. James Richardson's and-one free throw at 14:03 gave SCSU its first lead. Richardson was one of four Bulldogs in double-figures and led all scorers with 20 points.
SCSU maintained its momentum and took a 47-37 lead into the break before BCU upped its defensive efforts in the second half. The visitors went 20-41 from the field and 4-10 from distance in the opening period, but were 13-33 and 2-8 in those respective categories in the second half. BCU meanwhile shot 54.5% (18-33) and was 5-12 from three in the latter frame.
BCU goes back on the road for a two-game stretch, continuing MEAC play Saturday, Jan. 6 at Howard University. The contest is slated for a 4 p.m. start.
Notes
The game saw each team score 48 points in the paint, eight ties, and 10 lead changes ... BCU assisted on 22 of 32 made field goals, and turned the ball over nine times total ... Davis had a season-high four of the team's six blocks.
