RALEIGH, N.C. – Guard Shanika Harris (Jr./Richmond, VA) scored a career-high 26 points for Saint Augustine's University in a 96-73 CIAA women's basketball loss to nationally-ranked and unbeaten Livingstone College on the Harvey D. Heartley, Sr. Court at Emery Gymnasium on Wednesday, January 28, 2015
The Lady Falcons dropped to 2-2 in the Southern Division, 4-5 in the CIAA and 10-8 overall. The Lady Blue Bears, ranked 18th nationally in the USA Today Coaches Poll, improved to 4-0 in the Southern Division, 10-0 in the CIAA and 19-0 overall.
Guard Porscha Walton (Jr./Chesterfield, VA) added 15 points, six rebounds and three steals, and forward Terri Jacobs (Jr./McDonough, GA) chipped in nine points, 10 rebounds and four steals for the Lady Falcons. Harris added three steals for the Lady Falcons, who had 15 steals as a team. Guard Cierra York led six Livingstone double-figure scorers with 23 points. She added eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Harris was the catalyst in the Lady Falcons' game-opening run. She scored five of the Lady Falcons' first 16 points including a three-pointer for a 16-6 lead. The margin grew to 11 points at 18-7 on two free throws by guard Jeanne-Marie Wilson (Redshirt Jr./Temple Hills, MD). It wouldn't hold, however, as the Lady Blue Bears chipped away at the Lady Falcons' lead.
The Lady Blue Bears tied the game at 22-22, and then erupted on a 26-8 run to take a 48-30 halftime lead. It was all Lady Blue Bears in the second half as they led by as much as 28 points.
"I am extremely disappointed in our effort tonight," Lady Falcons' Head Coach Rachel Bullard said. "We started out well but didn't play hard the entire time. We had big play out of Harris but that wasn't enough. We will regroup and bounce back."
The Lady Falcons scored 27 points off 27 Livingstone turnovers, but could not overcome 28 percent shooting. The Lady Blue Bears shot 52 percent and scored 46 points in the paint. The Lady Falcons held a 23-13 offensive rebounding advantage which led to 21 second-chance points.
The Lady Falcons will visit CIAA foe Fayetteville State University at Capel Arena in Fayetteville, N.C., on Saturday, January 31, 2015. Game time is 2 p.m.
