Box Score
RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 16) – Two weeks ago, Saint Augustine's University held off a late rally by Elizabeth City State University to win by six points in a non-conference men's basketball game.
There was no comeback on Saturday as the Falcons won in a rout 71-48 at Emery Gymnasium. The Falcons, playing the second of three home games in a five-day span, improved to 2-0 in the CIAA with their second straight victory.
The Falcons continued their winning ways with another impressive performance. On Thursday, the Falcons handed nationally-ranked Virginia State University their first loss of the season in a 73-66 victory. The momentum of that win carried over into Saturday as the Falcons manhandled the Vikings on their home floor.
The game was similar to their earlier matchup on Nov. 26 in the VUU Thanksgiving Classic. In that contest, the Falcons built a 17-point second-half lead but the Vikings (0-2 CIAA, 3-4) whittled the margin to two points. The Falcons held on for a 58-52 win in Richmond, Va., which was their first of the season.
In Saturday's rematch, the Falcons (2-0 CIAA, 4-8 overall) suffocated the Vikings early with their defense and never let up. The Vikings shot 3 of 26 in the first half for a paltry 11.5 percent while the Falcons shot 43.3 percent in opening a 35-15 halftime lead. The 15 points are the lowest the Vikings have scored and a Falcons' opponent have scored in the first half this season. The second-lowest total was 18 points by the Vikings against the Falcons in their first matchup.
The Falcons never let up in the second half as the lead grew to 26 points. The Vikings shot 27.5 percent in the second half and 21.2 percent overall against a stifling Falcons defense that limited Virginia State to 32.8 percent shooting on Thursday night.
Offensively, the Falcons found the range in the second half, shooting 50 percent, which led to a 46.2 percentage overall. Tyre Gathright (Jr./Wilmington, NC) tallied a game-high 26 points on 9 of 14 shooting and added eight rebounds. Quincy January (Sr./Atlanta, GA) just missed getting a double-double with nine points and 20 rebounds, which tied a career-high he set earlier in the week.
Quinton Morrow (Jr./Burlington, NC) also contributed nine points, and Rashad George (Fr./Raleigh, NC) and Ismael Baldwin (Jr./Kinston, NC) each scored seven points with Baldwin adding five rebounds. Kasey Bryant (Sr./Raleigh, NC) totaled six points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals at the point guard position.
Justin Faison paced ECSU with 13 points but no other Viking scored in double figures. The Vikings connected on just 2 of 26 three-point attempts for 7.7 percent.
The Falcons will shoot for their third consecutive victory on Monday, Dec. 18, when they host Chowan University at 7:30 p.m. This will be the second meeting between the CIAA schools with the Falcons winning 68-64 in a non-conference game in Murfreesboro, N.C., on Nov. 29.
