Feb. 10, 2007

Final Stats

Greensboro, N.C. - Bethune-Cookman College was able to earn a big conference win on Saturday evening as they outlasted North Carolina A&T in a thrilling 58-55 overtime affair inside the Corbett Sports Center in Greensboro, N.C.

For the first time in the Clifford Reed, Jr. era at Bethune-Cookman College, the Wildcats earned a huge road victory in Greensboro, N.C. It was a stretch of five consecutive games with a check mark in the loss column for the Wildcats inside Corbett Sports Center prior to today's contest.

B-CC (5-17, 3-9 MEAC) held a 49-45 advantage with just 36 seconds left in regulation when guard/forward Jimmy Hudson connected on a long range jumper for three points--one of his four (4) three-point baskets on the day. But 36 seconds to the high-powered North Carolina A&T squad is way too much time.

N.C. A&T (10-14, 6-6 MEAC) came right down the court and guard Steven Rush connected on his only three-point basket of the game while being fouled by B-CC's Damitrius Coleman on the play. Rush hit the free throw in order to tie the game at 49-49 with 28 seconds left on the clock. B-CC's Hudson had a chance for a three-pointer with three seconds left, but his attempt rimmed out to send the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, the `Cats fell behind early as Jason Wills sliced through the lane for a lay-up to give N.C. A&T the early lead, 51-49.

The Wildcats and Aggies then went back-and-forth over the next three-and-a-half minutes as the lead changed hands five times until Josh Cummings' jumper with 31 ticks showing on the clock put B-CC ahead for good at 56-55. Cummings added two free throws down the stretch to ice the game and break B-CC's four-game losing skid. Ironically, the last two wins for the Wildcats have come on the road.

The Aggies were paced on the night in scoring by two players each with 13 points in the form of Rush and Wills. Wills completed a double-double performance with 10 rebounds to go along with his 13-point outburst, as well as shooting a blistering 11-of-14 mark from the free throw line.

As for Bethune-Cookman, the `Cats were led by Hudson with 16 points and four assists, while Dewayne Pettus scored 10 points to help the cause. Josh Cummings added six points for B-CC--all coming in the OT period. Meanwhile, the "dirty work" on the boards was provided by John Anderson with a season-high 12 rebounds. Also dipping into double digits in the rebound column was Ron Mitchell with 10 rebounds of his own.

B-CC ended the night shooting 30 percent from three-point land, and a solid 42 percent from the field as a team, overall. The Aggies, however, won the battle of the boards by the slimmest of margins, 33-32.

Bethune-Cookman College will look to earn their first back-to-back wins of the year on Monday night as they take on conference foe South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C. at 7:30 pm. The game marks the return home for junior forward John Anderson for the Wildcats who grew up less than 20 minutes from the greater Orangeburg area.