RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 24) – Saint Augustine’s University relied on its strengths – three-point shooting and defense – to run away from Johnson C. Smith University in men’s basketball on Wednesday, Jan. 23.
Tyre Gathright in motion; he was high scorer with 25
Led by the backcourt duo, the Falcons scored 48 second-half points, which is the second highest total for the team this season. Gaddy, who came off the bench, scored all 22 points in the second half and Gathright added 13 points as the Falcons took control after holding a slim 28-27 halftime lead.
Gaddy did his damage behind the three-point line. He canned five treys in the second half for the Falcons, who lead the CIAA conference in three-point shooting. His fourth three-pointer pushed their lead to 45-35 early in the second half.
But the Golden Bulls rallied to take a brief one-point lead and later tied the score 58-58 on a three-point play with just under eight minutes remaining. That’s when the Falcons’ defense took over.
Ranked second in the conference in points allowed, the Falcons held the Golden Bulls without a field goal in the final 7:58 during an 18-4 game-clinching run. Gathright led the charge with 10 points during the spurt including eight consecutive points during one stretch. The Preseason All-CIAA guard converted back-to-back three-point plays to give the Falcons momentum.
Although Gathright and Gaddy scored the bulk of the points, they received support from several Falcons in the game. Hirk Williams (Jr./Manassas, VA) finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double for the Falcons, who outrebounded the Golden Bulls 39-33. The Falcons are 5-2 this season when they beat an opponent on the boards.
Rashad George (So./Raleigh, NC) had seven points and four rebounds and D.J. Harrison (Sr./Winston-Salem, NC) totaled six points, four rebounds and two blocks for the Falcons. Mel’Quan Ames (Jr./Weldon, NC) chipped in four points and four rebounds.
The Falcons (1-3 Southern Division, 5-12 overall) shot lights out from three-point land, especially in the second half when they connected on 7 of 11 threes for 63.6 percent. Overall, the Falcons made 10 of 22 treys for 45.5 percent. They were 16 of 22 from the free throw line for 72.7 percent including 11 of 13 in the second half for 84.6 percent. The SAU men shot 48.4 percent from the floor in the second half.
Cayse Minor paced the Golden Bulls (0-2 Southern Division, 4-11 overall) with 22 points but Roddric Ross was held to 10 points, about five points below his average. The Golden Bulls were limited to 39.2 percent shooting including 2 of 13 behind the three-point arc for 15.4 percent.
Gathright scored 12 points in the first half as the Falcons opened a 28-18 lead. The Golden Bulls ended the half with nine consecutive points to close within one at the break.
Gaddy immediately set the tone in the second half by scoring 12 of the Falcons’ first 14 points. His back-to-back treys in the first three minutes gave fans a glimpse of what was to come the remainder of the game.
The contest was designated as the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers game. Head Coach MarQus Johnson and his assistant coaches wore tennis shoes on the bench to raise cancer awareness.
This was seventh straight home game for the Falcons, who travel crosstown to Shaw University on Saturday, Jan. 26, for a divisional battle at Spaulding Gymnasium. Tipoff is 4 p.m.
— Office of Sports Information
