Jan. 20, 2007

Final Stats

Washington, D.C. - Jimmy Hudson's three-pointer at the buzzer went in ... and came out, allowing Howard University to escape with a 63-60 victory over Bethune-Cookman College on Saturday afternoon at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C.

With a little over five minutes remaining in the contest, Howard (7-11, 3-3 MEAC) appeared to have the game easily in hand as Will Gant's free throw extended the Bison lead out to 11 at 58-47. The Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman were not to be taken for dead just yet, though.

B-CC (3-13, 1-6 MEAC) woke up and prepared themselves around head coach Clifford Reed, Jr. for one last furious charge down the stretch.

A lay-up from John Anderson and back-to-back baskets, including a three-pointer, from Jimmy Hudson brought the `Cats back to within four points at 58-54 with 2:15 left in the contest. Later, point guard Damitrius Coleman stripped the at midcourt from the Bison's Dominique Davis and drove hard to the basket for one of his back-to-back lay-ups that allowed B-CC to crawl to within two points at 60-58.

A basket by Ron Mitchell--two of his eight points on 3-for-4 shooting on the day, put the Wildcats in a deadlock at 60-60 with 58 seconds remaining.

Gant connected on two free throws for the Bison with 33 seconds left following a B-CC foul, and the Wildcats trailed 62-60 before Mitchell toed the line with 12 ticks remaining following a foul that allowed the big man from Tampa to try and tie the game again.

The pressure seemed to get to Mitchell, however, as he missed both free throws, and the `Cats were forced to foul immediately.

Darryl Hudson knocked in one of two free throws for the Bison, but the `Cats jumped on the second shot that rimmed off and raced up court. The play was set-up, and Jimmy Hudson squared himself at the basket for a good-looking three-point shot that would have sent the game into overtime at the buzzer.

But, for the Wildcats once again--the fourth time in the conference season, the `Cats saw their dreams of a win fall short at the buzzer as Hudson's shot went in and came out.

In a game that saw 10 lead changes and five ties, it was the Wildcats who fell behind early-on as Howard jumped out to a quick 5-0 run behind the shooting of Hudson and Darek Mitchell. Mitchell had a game-high performance with 16 points with four big three-point baskets ... including a deep NBA-range shot as the shot clock was touching zero (0) during one possession for the Bison.

Behind the blistering shooting in the first half of junior guard Jordan Carrier, B-CC took a four-point lead at 21-17 just halfway through. Carrier connected his first four shots of the ballgame, including two three-point baskets and a three-point play the old-fashioned way with a lay-up and the foul shot.

The Bison would reclaim the lead before the half and hold a 36-30 advantage at the intermission ... a lead they would never relinquish though fighting through a hard run from the resilient Wildcats in the end.

The Bison of Howard were led by Mitchell's 16 points, as already stated. Gant pitched in 12 points and Jason Trotter added a season-high 10 points as well. Hudson collected a game-high 12 rebounds and scored nine points to fall just short of the double-double.

Bethune-Cookman looked towards their own Hudson, Jimmy Hudson, to supply the scoring as he registered 18 points, as well as four three-point field goals. Carrier added 12 points, but all of them coming in the first 20 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Anderson went to work on the boards as he collected his first double-digit rebounding effort of the year with 10. Coleman pitched out nine assists for the `Cats from his point guard position.

The Wildcats have now lost three (3) conference games by a combined 10 points, and another two with late free throws for an eight and 10 point margin.

The `Cats will look to get back on track on Monday night when they tangle with the only team yet to record an MEAC win thus far in the form of the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md. The tip-off is set for 7:30 pm.