Staff report

FAYETTEVILLE — As the saying goes, Livingstone picked a bad night to have a bad night.

Fayetteville State sank 34-of-38 free throws and stunned the Blue Bears, 69-61, in CIAA women’s basketball action here Wednesday night.

The loss was the second straight for Livingstone (12-11, 7-6 CIAA), which maintained third place in the league’s Southern Division. FSU (6-16, 4-9) sits in fifth place in the division.

With first-place J.C. Smith looming on the road Saturday, last night’s game was one Livingstone needed to win. However, the Blue Bears played from behind for most of the night, saw four of their eight players foul out, made just 4-of-14 3-point attempts and turned the ball over 20 times.

Guards Zena Lovette, Brittany Taylor and Asia Green played well, but Livingstone didn’t receive much production from anyone else.

Lovette had an outstanding game, playing all 40 minutes — 24 points, nine rebounds, six steals, foul blocks and only two turnovers. She fouled out with just five seconds left.

Taylor scored 14 points and Green added 11. Green also had six rebounds.

But usual double-figure scorers Bria Patterson and Deonna Young struggled against the Broncos. Patterson also played all 40 minutes but was just 2-for-9 shooting, including 0-for-4 from behind the arc.

Young, the CIAA’s Newcomer of the Week for the third straight time, played just six minutes and did not score. The junior guard is normally counted on for three to four 3-pointers per game.

Livingstone started slow and finally tied the game for the first time at 6:21 in the second quarter, on a layup from Lovette. It had a brief lead at 18-16, on two free throws from Kenetria Redfern.

FSU regained the lead behind balanced scoring and led at halftime, 29-24.

The Blue Bears, down by as much as nine points in the third period (37-28), fought back, behind Lovette and Taylor.

Then, with 7:43 left in the game, post player Shannon Buchanan scored on a layup, giving Livingstone a 46-45 lead. After the Broncos took the lead back, Green had an old-fashioned three-point play for a 49-47 advantage at the 7:12-mark.

But FSU kept attacking inside and going to the foul line, led by Breona Jones, who was 11-for-12 at the charity stripe. The Broncos won, going away, as Livingstone’s Redfern, Cherokee Cardriche, Buchanan and finally, Lovette, all fouled out.

FSU shot just 30 percent from the floor (17-of-56), but 90 percent from the foul line. The Broncos also destroyed Livingstone on the boards, 50-25, including 28 defensive rebounds.

Jones led FSU with 22 points, while Asia Potts came off the bench with 14.

LIVINGSTONE (61) — Green 11, Patterson 7, Taylor 14, Lovette 24, Buchanan 2, Young, Cardriche 1, Redfern 2.

FAYETTEVILLE STATE (69) — Jones 22, Smith 9, Clark 8, Phifer 6, Maduegbunam 2, Potts 14, Straite 2, Hinton 2, Morris, Coleman 4.

Livingstone             14    10    15    22  — 61

Fayetteville St.       15    14     14    26  — 69