JCSU Takes 90-87 Double Overtime Win at Tuskegee

Tuskegee, Ala. (Nov. 14, 2017) – The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team came back from an eight-point lead with just 6:05 remaining and took a thrilling 90-87 double-overtime road win over Tuskegee on Tuesday night.

After the host Golden Tigers took a 58-50 lead with a little over six minutes remaining, the Golden Bulls embarked on a 15-2 run to take a 65-60 lead with just 2:42 left.   Tuskegee battled back to tie the game at 65-65 after a Thomas Myles layup with 47 seconds left.  After a Robert Davis (West Friendship, Md.) basket with 29 seconds left in regulation, Tuskegee forced overtime with a bucket with 12 seconds to go, knotting the game at 67-67.

In the first extra session, Tuskegee would bolt to a 75-70 lead with 1:57 left, but the Golden Bulls went on another run, this time an 8-0 spurt capped by a three-pointer from 
Christian Kirchman (Roanoke, Va.) that put JCSU up 78-75 with 11 seconds left. The Golden Tigers, forced to try to tie with a three-point attempt, was fouled with three seconds left.  Jaylan Shelton would knock down all three attempts to make it 78-78, sending the game into a second overtime.

The teams would share baskets in the second extra frame, making it 86-86 with 37 second left.  Following a steal from sophomore Cayse Minor (Winston-Salem, N.C.), teammate 
Roddric Ross (Forest City, N.C.) knocked down two free throws at the 11 second mark to put JCSU up 88-86.  Tuskegee would get another opportunity to tie the game when Travis Flagg earned a trip to the line for two shots.  Flagg made the first but missed the second and Ross secured the rebound and was fouled with two seconds left.

Ross then hit both free throws to provide the 90-87 final as the last-second desperation three pointer fell short, sending the Golden Bulls to their third straight win.

The Golden Bulls shot 48.4% from the field (30-of-62) and 12-of-28 from long range (42.9%) while hitting 60% (18-of30) from the line despite being outrebounded by 10 (42-32).

Individually, Robert Davis led the way, with 35 points on an 11-of-26 effort and was 5-of-13 from three-point range.  Fellow senior Christian Kirchman had 19 points and eight assists while junior Roddric Ross had 14 points and a team-best six rebounds.  Cayse Minor rounded out the double-figure scoring for JCSU, providing 13 points.

The win improves JCSU to 3-0 on the season while Tuskegee falls to 0-3.

JCSU will play host to the Claude Saunders/JCSU Tip Off Classic this upcoming weekend, Nov. 17-18 at Brayboy Gym.

The Golden Bulls will host SIAC foe Benedict at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and will welcome nationally-ranked Queens on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.