JCSU Women's Basketball Throttles Puerto Rico-Bayamon, 77-48

Charlotte,  N.C. (Nov. 20, 2017) –  The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team had a big second quarter and were never threatened again, downing the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon
77-48 at Brayboy Gym on Monday evening.

The Golden Bulls started to pull away from the visiting Cowgirls late in the first quarter.  After trailing
16-15 with 1:29 remaining, JCSU went on a 6-0 run to close the quarter after baskets from
Kendall Adams (Opelika, Ala.), Malia Rivers (Pageland, S.C.), and La'Zarea Bowens (Knightdale, N.C.), putting JCSU up 21-16 after one.

JCSU continued their run, extending the advantage to 34-20 with 3:11 to play after back-to-back three pointers from Maiya Green (San Antonio, Tex.) and JaKeyah McNeil (Fayetteville, N.C.).   UPRB cut the lead to 39-29 with 33 seconds left when Ideslie Cardona knocked down a three, but a layup from Green seconds later gave JCSU the 41-29 lead at halftime.

The JCSU lead would swell to as many as 27 points (58-31) in the third quarter following two Bowens free throws with 4:37 left.  The Cowgirls cut the deficit to 21 points on two occasions, the latter at the 1:48 mark after a Nicolle Diaz free throw.  JCSU's Xana Dove (West Palm Beach, Fla.) would hit a free throw of her own with 37 seconds left o push the JCSU lead to 61-39 after the third.

The fourth quarter was more of the same, as JCSU led by as many as 32 points and allowed the Cowgirls to pull no closer than 29 points.

As a team, JCSU forced 27 Cowgirl turnovers and converted those to 27 points.  The Golden Bulls also held a decisive advantage inside with a 43-20 advantage in points in the paint.  JCSU managed a 38.9% shooting effort (28-of-72) and was 5-of-18 from long range, good for 27.8%. 

Individually, freshman La'Zarea Bowens led the way with 19 points while teammates Kendall Adams and Maiya Green each had 13.  Jamia Johnson (Durham, N.C.) had a terrific performance down low, bringing in a team-best 12 rebounds.

Puerto Rico-Bayamon got 10 points each from Nicolle Diaz and Ideslie Cardona.

The win improves JCSU to 4-0 on the year while UPRB falls to 0-4.

JCSU will be in action this upcoming Friday, Nov. 24 at the Eckerd College Classic in St. Petersburg, Fla.  JCSU takes on host Eckerd and will battle Florida Southern on Nov. 25.