RALEIGH, N.C. – Guard Anthony Gaskins (Jr./Greenville, NC) buried a three-pointer at the buzzer as Saint Augustine’s University edged Winston-Salem State University 58-55 in a CIAA men’s basketball contest at Emery Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016.
The victory was the fourth in a row for the Falcons, who moved into a three-way tie for first place with Winston-Salem State and Johnson C. Smith University. All three teams are 4-2 in the Southern Division.
Gaskins received an inbound pass near midcourt with 7.8 seconds left and dribbled on the left side of the court. Tightly guarded by a Rams’ defender, the junior guard shot a step-back jumper well beyond the three-point line near the student section. The fans erupted as the ball went through the rim. They stormed the court in celebration of the win.
Gaskins finished with 14 points for the Falcons including 2-for-4 three-point shooting. He also added five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Forward Quincy January (Soph./Atlanta, GA) led the Falcons with 19 points and 15 rebounds, his 11th double-double of the season which leads the CIAA. The rebounds tied a career-high for the high-flying sophomore. Forward Marquis Hines (Sr./Fayetteville, NC) added eight points on 4-for-6 shooting off the bench.
Gaskins’ game-winning basket capped a thrilling contest between CIAA rivals. There were 19 lead changes with no lead bigger than five points. There were also five ties.
Terrell Leach scored 14 points and Keith Armstrong added 13 points for the Rams, who led 24-23 at halftime. The Rams were hurt by poor free throw shooting as they shot 7-for-21 from the charity stripe. The Falcons were 10-for-15 at the free throw line.
QUOTE
“It was the best moment of my life,” said Anthony Gaskins about hitting the game-winning three-pointer.
TURNING POINT
Quincy January came alive in the second half, totaling 14 points and 11 rebounds. Despite being saddled with foul trouble, he outplayed the Rams’ big men which allowed the Falcons to hold a slim lead much of the second half. Guard Keith Crawford (Sr./Richmond, VA) scored two key baskets late.
RECORDS
Saint Augustine’s University 4-2 Southern Division, 9-13 overall; Winston-Salem State 4-2 Southern Division, 11-12 overall.
STREAKS
Not only did the Falcons increase their win streak to four, they snapped the Rams’ four-game win streak. The Falcons have played three consecutive home games and won all three. They host their fourth straight opponent at Emery Gymnasium on Wednesday.
VIDEO OF GASKINS’ GAME-WINNER
Click here to see video of Gaskin’s winning shot:
FALCONS WINNING WITH DEFENSE, GOOD SHOOTING
The Falcons held their fourth consecutive opponent to under 70 points. They also shot over 45 percent for the fourth straight game. The victory was a stark contrast to the first meeting, won by the Rams 75-56 a month ago in Winston-Salem, N.C.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 – The Falcons have won four games in a row
21 – Turnovers by the Falcons, but the Rams only scored 11 turnover points.
33.3 – The free throw shooting percentage of the Rams, who were 7-for-21.
40 – The Falcons outrebounded the Rams 40-29.
40.7 – The shooting percentage of the Rams
46.0 – The shooting percentage of the Falcons.
53.6 – The second-half shooting percentage of the Falcons.
NEXT GAME
The Falcons host Johnson C. Smith University at Emery Gymnasium in a crucial CIAA contest Wednesday, Feb. 10. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
