Staff report

SALISBURY — Livingstone got 25 points from star guard Roger Ray to roll past Fayetteville State, 74-60, in a CIAA men’s college basketball game on Wednesday night at New Trent Gym.

The victory was the Blue Bears’ fourth straight, moving their overall record to 11-6 and conference mark to 4-4. Coach James Stinson’s team leads the CIAA’s Southern Division with that .500 mark.

The Broncos are struggling this season, falling to 3-13 and 2-7. FSU opened the season by losing nine of its first 10 games, and is 2-4 since.

Livingstone used a balanced attack in the first half, jumping out to a 16-6 lead and gradually building its advantage to 33-16 by halftime. Ray had just nine of his points in the first half.

Ray, who scored 33 points and went over 1,000 for his career last Saturday against Claflin, was selected as the CIAA Player of the Week and the BOXTOROW HBCU National Player of the Week on Tuesday.

In addition to the performance in the Chowan game, Ray scored 28 points and dished out 10 assists against Chowan on Jan. 14.

Last night, Ray caught fire in the second half for 16 points as the Blue Bears expanded their halftime lead to 24 points at 70-46, with 3:13 left. Livingstone coasted the rest of way, as FSU mounted a mild rally, trimming its deficit to the final 14-point margin.

Ray was 7-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point arc. He also dropped in 8-of-10 free throws. Ray, a junior, added four assists to become the program’s all-time leader in that category.

As a team, Livingstone shot 50 percent, making 25-of-50 shots from the field. The Blue Bears also made half of their 3-pointers at 6-of-12.

The Broncos shot just 39 percent (20-0f-51), including 8-of-24 attempts from the 3-point line. FSU also hurt itself with 16 turnovers and by shooting just 55 percent from the foul line (12-of-22).

Lydell Elmore, a 6-9 post player, followed Ray for LC with a double-double (11 points and 11 rebounds). Elmore’s twin brother, Navar, scored 10 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting effort.

Guard Cameryn Carpenter was also perfect from the floor and scored nine points for the Blue Bears. Malik Smith added eight points.

Fayetteville State was led by Mark Burton with 16 points and Raymon Pratt, who followed with 15.  Joshua Bryany added eight points and eight rebounds.

NOTE: Livingstone’s coaching staff took part in the “suits and sneakers” week, for the coaches against cancer campaign. … The Blue Bears are also home on Saturday, hosting old rival Johnson C. Smith at 4 p.m., following the women’s game.

FAYETTEVILLE STATE (60) — Pratt 15, J. Crutchfield, Burton 16, Brown 7, Harris 4, Williams 2, Hosch, Bryany 8, Webster 2, M. Crutchfield, Joyner 6, Gamble.

LIVINGSTONE (74) — N. Elmore 10, Ray 25, Grant 4, Smith 8, Carpenter 9, Lewis, Livingston, L. Elmore 11, Fykes 2, Evans, Handley, Harris, Tate 1, McNeill 4, Dawson, Dupree, Parker.

Fayetteville St.       16    44 — 60

Livingstone            33    41 — 74