CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 27) – Karaan Clemonts (Jr./Weldon, NC) scored 19 points and Nilous Hodge (So./Charlotte, NC) added 17 points for Saint Augustine's University as the Falcons gave a great effort before falling 70-68 to Johnson C. Smith University in the men's basketball quarterfinals of the CIAA Tournament at Bojangles' Coliseum on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The Falcons, seeded fifth in the Southern Division, pushed the Golden Bulls to the limit but the Southern Division co-champions relied on free throw shooting to pull out the win. Johnson C. Smith connected on 39 of 51 free throw attempts for 76.5 percent. By contrast, the Falcons made 25 of 27 free throw attempts for 92.6 percent.
"When a team makes more free throws than another team attempts, nine times out of 10 that team will win," SAU Head Coach MarQus Johnson said. "That's a testament to Smith's aggressiveness.
The Golden Bulls made two free throws for a 68-65 lead with 5.1 seconds left, but the Falcons were in position to force overtime. A turnover in the backcourt ruined their chances, and JCSU hit two free throws to put the game out of reach. Clemonts banked in a three-pointer at the horn for the final score.
Donte Edwards (So./Durham, NC) was a perfect 12 of 12 from the free throw line for 12 points. Aaron Johnson-Cash (So./Durham, NC) totaled eight points and Clemonts collected eight rebounds.
The Falcons were stingy defensively, limiting the Golden Bulls to 35 percent shooting, including 20 percent from the three-point line. It allowed the Falcons to lead 31-25 at halftime and stay ahead much of the second half.
Hodge drained a three-pointer for a 51-50 Falcons' lead, but they never led again. The Golden Bulls scored seven straight points for a 57-51 lead, but Clemonts' layup tied the game at 57-57 with a little under two minutes remaining.
Cayse Minor of JCSU was fouled while hitting a difficult floater, and he made the free throw for a three-point lead with 1:43 left. The Golden Bulls scored the rest of their points on free throws, going 10 of 14 from the charity stripe.
Minor sparked the Golden Bulls with a game-high 25 points. Nenad Milenkovic scored 19 points as both players combined to make 23 of 28 free throw attempts.
Veteran JCSU Head Coach Stephen Joyner Sr. said the Falcons (12-18 overall) gave his Golden Bulls all they could handle in Wednesday's matchup.
"I commend MarQus Johnson and his coaching staff," Joyner Sr. said. "His team was ready to play after winning a tough game the night before."
The Falcons forced the Golden Bulls (20-7 overall), the Southern Division top seed, to play from behind much of the night but SAU couldn't overcome the free throw differential. The Golden Bulls advanced to play in Friday's semifinals.
"I am proud of the effort our team gave, but we ran out of time," Johnson said.
Wednesday's game was the final contest in a Falcons' uniform for seniors Jalen Gaddy (Raleigh, NC), Hirk Williams (Manassas, VA) and Otis Hill, Jr. (Shallotte, NC).
