Staff report

CHARLOTTE — Johnson C. Smith overcame a 10-point, second-half deficit to defeated Livingstone, 82-74, in women’s college basketball action here Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bulls avenged a 76-57 loss to Livingstone in Salisbury on Jan. 26, improving to 14-12 overall, 11-5 in the CIAA and 7-3 in the Southern Division.

The Blue Bears fall to 7-18 overall, 4-11 in the conference and 4-5 in the division.

Livingstone led by seven points at halftime (41-34). The game had been tied with just 1:19 left in the first half, but a free throw from guard Daisa Harris and baskets from I’Keya Bland, Asia Green and Kedra Bradley sparked LC to the lead at intermission.

The Blue Bears increased its lead to 10 points with 5:38 left in the third period (48-38), on a 3-point jumper from guard Darra Walker.

But the game turned at that point, as Livingstone managed just four more points in the quarter. The Bulls won the period, 23-11, and went into the final stanza with a 57-52 lead.

A follow shot from senior wing Kyala Searcy tied the game for LC at 59-59 with 8:21 left in the game and the visitors actually took a one-point lead (66-65) on a layup from Bland at the 4:51 mark.

Bradley missed a layup that could have given LC a three-point lead and JCSU’s Blaire Thomas put the Bulls back on top for good at 67-66, with 3:45 left.

From that point, the Bulls went on a 15-8 run to end the contest.  Thomas sank two free throws with 2:50 left, making it 71-66.

Livingstone did manage to get the game back to a three-point margin on another 3-pointer from Walker with 1:07 (77-74), but that was as close as it could get.

JCSU’s Teana Lewis and DeJane James hit free throws down the stretch to ice the issue.

LC did not shoot well from the floor, especially from the 3-point arc, making just 5-of-25 (20 percent). Overall, the Blue Bears made 30-of-73 shots (41 percent).

The Bulls made 30-of-69 (44 percent) shots from the floor and 18-of-24 at the foul line

JCSU also dominated Livingstone on the boards, 56-33, including 21 on the offensive glass for second chances to score. The final margin was the Bulls’ largest lead of the game.

Harris led LC with 20 points but it was below her average and she made just 8-of-25 shots on the day. Green scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Walker added 11 points. Searcy had “double eights” — points and rebounds.

Adel Allen who had been scoring in double figures in recent games, was held to nine points.

Thomas, a 5-10 wing, paced the Bulls with 25 points and 10 boards while Malia Rivers came off the bench with 21 points. Lewis scored 10 points and Aubriana Bonner collected a game-high 11 rebounds.

NOTE: The Blue Bears return to action on Monday at Claflin (5:30 p.m.).

LIVINGSTONE (74) — Green 13, Harris 20, Allen 9, Bradley 5, Searcy 8, Terry, Bland 8, Walker 11.

JOHNSON C. SMITH (82) — Hewlett 3, Porter 2, Thomas 25, James 1, McNeil, Rivers 21, Lewis 10, Green 8, Bonner 6, Bowens 6, Montalvo.

Livingstone         17   24    11   22 — 74

J.C. Smith           19   15    23   25 — 82