Staff report

FAYETTEVILLE — Based on records, Livingstone’s men should have beaten Fayetteville State here Saturday afternoon. The Blue Bears did just that.

Livingstone defeated the home-standing Broncos, 78-62, as Cameron Burhannon, Rashard Todd and Roger Ray combined to score 49 points.

Coach James Stinson’s Blue Bears improved to 6-7 overall and 4-3 in the CIAA. FSU falls to 4-14 and 1-6 in the conference.

Burhannon, a senior wing from Indianapolis, scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the first half, as Livingstone built a 43-25 lead. Todd, a 6-8 senior, contributed 11 of his 15 points during the first half.

Ray, a sophomore guard, saved his best for the second half, scoring nine of his 14 points in the last 20 minutes.

The game was fairly close at 23-14, with 7:58 remaining in the first half, but Burhannon scored 12 points in a three-minute flurry (10 in a row) and the Blue Bears pulled out to a 37-18 advantage at the 4:47 mark.

The Broncos made a run in the second half, cutting the deficit to nine points at 49-40, when Javen McNeill made a free throw with 13:38 remaining. But the Blue Bears were able to maintain a double-digit lead down the stretch.

Livingstone shot 52 percent for the game (29-of-56) and also made 75 percent from the foul line (15-of-20). FSU shot just 42.6 percent (20-of-47) from the floor.

In addition to Burhannon, Ray and Todd, Lydell Elmore reached double figures for the Blue Bears with 11 points.

Livingstone held a 33-30 rebound advantage, led by Ray’s six boards.

Willie Gilmore led the Broncos with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds.

Livingstone returns to action on Wednesday with another CIAA contest — a 7:30 tip-off at J.C. Smith in Charlotte.

LIVINGSTONE (78) — McClendon 9, Ray 14, Todd 15, Walker 2, Patterson, Burhannon 20, Moore, Belfield 4, Lewis 2, Livingston, N. Elmore 1, L. Elmore 11, McNeill, Smith, Flippin.

FAYETTEVILLE STATE (62) — McNeill 8, Smith 17, Tibbs 7, Hosch 1, Bryant 2, Williams, Gilmore 24, Brown, Pope 3, Joyner.

Livingstone            43   35 — 78

Fayetteville St.      25   37 — 62