Staff report

CHARLOTTE — Livingstone men’s basketball team couldn’t have started any worse, but the Blue Bears escaped the Wildcat Center at Johnson & Wales with a 74-73 non-conference win on Monday.

The Blue Bears endured four scoreless minutes at the outset and got down 17-5 against the fired-up Wildcats before mounting a comeback. Livingstone (12-12) led 39-28 at halftime, but still couldn’t put the Wildcats away.

Jamal Cannady Jr. made a clinching 3-pointer for a 74-70 lead late in the contest.

James Nipper led the Blue Bears with 18 points and eight rebounds. Cannady, King Ijeoma and Paul Tako scored 10 each.

Teon Tiller had seven points and five assists.

Malcolm Warthen scored 18 for the Wildcats (9-14).

Livingstone                  39   35    — 74

Johnson & Wales         28  45    — 73

LC scoring — Nipper 18, Cannady 10, Ijeoma 10, P. Tako 10, Tiller 7, Mobley 4, Collins-Johnson 4, Minard 3, Kourouma 3, Hukins 3, Coffey 2.