Staff report

SALISBURY — Khyree Temple made a jump shot with two seconds left in overtime to lift Livingstone’s men’s basketball team to a 67-65 win against Fayetteville State on Thursday.

It was an improbable CIAA victory at New Trent Gym for the Blue Bears, who trailed the Broncos by 16 points with 15 minutes left.

Livingstone lost the turnover battle 20-9 and suffered through a shaky shooting night (3-for-17 from 3 and 38.7 percent from the field), but won with a lot of rebounding (54-29 edge) and some clutch plays.

Temple had 21 points and 17 rebounds. Pharaoh Lassiter shot 1-for-8 on 3s, but his 11 points included the free throws late in regulation that sent the game to overtime.

The Broncos led 40-29 at halftime.

When Livingstone couldn’t make a charge early in the second half, hope was fading for 355 fans, but after falling behind 53-37, the Blue Bears shut out the cold-shooting visitors for a  long stretch and reeled off 15 straight points. Lassiter’s only successful 3-pointer capped the LC spree and cut FSU’s lead to 53-52.

Fayetteville State moved back into a narrow lead, but Temple made a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left for a 60-all tie. With the Blue Bears down 62-60, Lassiter made two free throws with three seconds left to get the Blue Bears to overtime.

Livingstone trailed in the OT period before Paul Tako’s bucket tied the game at 65-all with 53 seconds left.

Temple made the winning jumper with two seconds remaining in the overtime.

FSU shot 30.2 percent for the game and made less than 26 percent in the second half.

Fayetteville State    40   22    3    — 65

Livingstone              29   33    5     — 67

LC scoring — Temple 21, Lassiter 11, McCrae 8, O. Broadnax 7, Leach 6, Tiller 4, P. Tako 4, Allen 2, Herd 2, S. Tako 2.

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Jailen Williams (Carson) scored nine points as Claflin won 71-62 against Winston-Salem State in the Gaines Center on Thursday.

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Fayetteville State’s women’s basketball team won 80-68 at Livingstone on Thursday.

Jamiah Lane scored 15 for the Blue Bears on 7-for-10 shooting. Alexis Lake scored 12.

Livingstone shot 40.4 percent but couldn’t overcome 25 turnovers.