Senior Trevin Parks scored 13 points in his final game played in Brayboy against Livingstone
Box Score
Box Score vs. Livingstone
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team lost a pivotal division game to Livingstone College 68-56 on Saturday evening at Brayboy Gymnasium. JCSU drops to 16-8 overall, 9-5 in the CIAA, and 5-3 in the division; while the Blue Bears improve to 18-5 in the standings, 10-4 in the conference, and 6-2 in the Southern.
Both teams came into this contest with the understanding that the winner would remain in the driver's seat for first place in the division. Livingstone played in full throttle, while the Golden Bulls struggled to get out of first gear. The only lead JCSU held was when senior guard
Trevin Parks (Hickory, NC) made the first basket of the game.
The Golden Bulls ended up falling behind by 11 (34-23) before heading to halftime down 34-27. Sophomore forward
Emilio Parks (Ashtabula, OH) set the pace in the opening with 10 points and six rebounds. JCSU shot 36% (11-31) from the field, including 0-for-6 from the three point line.
Livingstone held a lead for the entire second half. JCSU managed to get within one possession (40-38) at the 14 minute mark, but the Blue Bears rattled off an 11-3 run over the next four minutes. The Golden Bulls trailed by as much as 14 before eventually losing 68-56.
“We just didn't come prepared tonight as a ball club,” said JCSU head coach
Stephen Joyner, Sr. “We didn't prepare them as a coaching staff and they didn't perform with a mental understanding of the opportunity we had tonight. Livingstone came prepared and focused and they seized the opportunity.”
Both Emilio and
Trevin Parks had 13 points each. Junior forward
Antwan Wilkerson (Greensboro, NC) had 12 rebounds, nine points, and four blocks.
Mark Thomas scored a game-high 19 points along with six rebounds and four assists. Ethan Anderson added 14 points.
JCSU will now travel to Winston-Salem, NC to face the Rams of Winston-Salem State University on Wednesday, February 20th. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
