Box Score JCSU Clinches CIAA Southern Division Title with 76-60 Win Over WSSU
Winston-Salem, N.C. -- (Feb. 15, 2017) – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team captured the sixth CIAA divisional crown in program history with a 76-60 win over Winston-Salem State at the Gaines Center on Wednesday evenings.
After falling down 7-4 to begin the game, JCSU put together an 8-3 run that put the Golden Bulls up 12-10, a lead they would not relinquish.
Freshman
Maiya Green (San Antonio, Tex.) got a layup to fall to extend the Golden Bulls lead to 15-10 at the 4:05 mark. WSSU would whittle the lead to 15-14 with baskets from Briana Arnold and Taniya Dunn, but JCSU quickly rebuilt the lead to 20-14 by the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, the Golden Bulls built a 12 point lead following a
Jamia Johnson (Durham, N.C.) baseket that made it 30-18 with 5:11 to play. The lead would swell to 36-22 following an
Asha Jordan (Monroe, N.C.) basket at the 2:44 mark. JCSU would get another Jordan layup with 34 seconds left to take the 40-25 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was again dominated by JCSU, as the Golden Bulls pushed the lead to as many as 20 points (53-33) with 5:16 remaining. WSSU would cut the lead to 11 on an Arnold free throw that made it 55-44, but an
Anika Jones (Shelby, N.C.) layup closed the quarter with JCSU holding the 57-44 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, JCSU's would enjoy a lead that ballooned to as many as 23 points (71-48) with 4:02 to play. WSSU would get no closer than 16 points, that coming as the final points of the game when Kandace Tate scored to provide the 76-60 final.
The Golden Bulls had four players secure double-digit performances with senior guard
Anika Jones leading the way with 21 points. Green had another perfect game, scoring 14 points while going 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from long range. Junior
Asha Jordan had 11 points and junior
Blaire Thomas (Waterloo, Iowa) scored 10 points and collected a team-high six rebounds.
JCSU improves to 19-6 overall, 12-3 in CIAA play and 8-1 in the Southern Division.
The win clinches the CIAA Southern Division title for the Golden Bulls, the program's first since 2011 and sixth divisional title overall. It also marks the first division title for head coach
Stephen Joyner, Jr.
