Staff report

SALISBURY — Visiting Elizabeth City State had three players combine for 60 points and the Vikings sent Livingstone’s women to their eighth straight defeat, 87-63, here Thursday evening in CIAA basketball action.

Naterria Luster scored 21 points, Asia Deal followed with 20 and Devona Stell added 19 as the Vikings used a 26-7 third quarter to pull away.

Livingstone falls to 3-11 and 0-4 in the conference. The Blue Bears have not won since Nov. 21, an 80-76 decision over Belmont Abbey.

Elizabeth City State (11-5, 4-2) won its fourth straight game.

The Vikings built a nine-point lead in the first quarter at New Trent Gym and increased their advantage to 47-35 by halftime.

The Vikings’ big third period pushed the margin to 31 points, leading 73-42, going into the final stanza.

The Blue Bears won the fourth period, as guard Daisa Harris scored three 3-point jumpers and Kyala Searcy added another.

But it was too little, too late for Livingstone, and another loss.

Harris scored 23 points to lead the Blue Bears, but connected on just 9-of-28 shots from the floor.

Searcy, a senior wing, scored 11 points for Livingstone, bouncing back from a recent scoreless outing. Searcy made 5-of-9 shots.

LC post player Mia Terry led her team with 11 rebounds, but did not score.

As a team, the Blue Bears shot just 34 percent for the game (27-of-80), while the Vikings shot 44 percent (34-of-78).

ECSU also had a big advantage at the foul line, making 14-of-17 (82 percent).

Livingstone just couldn’t get to the charity stripe enough, but made 3-of-6.

The rebounds were even at 51 apiece, but Livingstone committed 21 turnovers, compared to just 14 for the Vikings.

In addition to Luster, Deal and Stell, Jalyn Brown had a big game for ECSU, scoring 16 points.

Luster and Stell had double-doubles, leading their team with 13 rebounds each.

NOTE: Livingstone returns to action at home on Saturday, hosting Virginia State at 2 p.m.

ELIZABETH CITY STATE (87) — Holmes 5, Stell 19, Brown 16, Deal 20, Luster 21, Pitts, Porter 2, James, Rodgers, Gatling, Holley-Reid 4.

LIVINGSTONE (63) — Harris 23, Bradley 9, Terry, Bland 8, Galay 2, Allen 6, Searcy 11, Porter, Copeland 4.

Elizabeth City St.    26  21  26   14 — 87

Livingstone              17   18   7    21 — 63