Staff report

CHARLOTTE —  Livingstone women’s coach Anita Howard said her Blue Bears “won ugly” on Wednesday.

They’ll take it.

Livingstone shot  just 16 percent from the floor in the first half  and 24 percent for the game at Time Warner Cable Arena  but still managed to beat Johnson C. Smith 50-43 in a CIAA tournament quarterfinal.

“We knew it was going to be one of those grudge matches coming in,” Howard said.  “I challenged the team to want it more than them.”

The Blue Bears, officially 8-19 due to 18 “nullifications,” avenged their only on-the-court loss of the season. They fell at J.C. Smith late in the regular season.

Livingstone advanced to a Friday semifinal . The Blue Bears will take on Lincoln at 1 p.m.  When the Blue Bears played Lincoln  on Jan. 5 in Pennsylvania, Livingstone won 70-65.

Cierra York scored 10 points  and pulled down eight rebounds for the Blue Bears. Wende Foster controlled the defensive board and had 10 rebounds.

For the Golden Bulls, Ashley Porter had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

J.C. Smith (20-8)  slowly built a 24-17 lead , but the the Blue Bears made five free throws to get within 24-22 at halftime. Livingstone scored 13 of its 22 first-half points at the foul line.

With Livingstone clinging to a 41-40 lead with 3:22 remaining, Amber Curtis made a jumper, Foster made a layup, and York hit a free throw to put the Blue Bears up 46-40.

Former Salisbury star Shanequa Phifer swished a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left as the Golden Bulls cut Livingstone’s lead to 46-43, but Labrea Walker and York made two free throws each as the Blue Bears held on.

LC 50, J.C. Smith 43

LIVINGSTONE (50)

York 10, Curtis 8, Walker 6, Roberts 6, Foster 5, Grinage 5, Hicks 3, Fowler 3, Blunt 2, Daniels 2, Malone, Lepzem.

J.C. SMITH (43)

Porter 12, Jones 9, Wilkerson 8, Hall 4, Phifer 3, Jordan 3, Brent 2, Gholson 2, Lynch, Moseley.

Livingstone 22    28 — 50

JC Smith 24    19 — 43