Feb. 8, 2008

Final Stats

What a difference two days can make! On Tuesday, Johnson C. Smith cruised to a 28-point victory over the visiting Trojans of Virginia State University. Two days later, JCSU is now on the receiving end of a 75-67 loss, their eighth of the season.

The first half was a closely contested one with neither team taking more than a seven-point advantage early in the game. Both teams settled down and went shot for shot throughout the rest of the first 20 minutes of play. By the end of the first stanza, VSU controlled a one-point lead, 36-35. Junior guard Ryan Scott (Reston, Va.) was plagued with the personal foul bug, forcing him to sit with four minutes left in the first half.

Johnson C. Smith came out firing in the second half going up by nine with 15 minutes remaining. VSU hit back to back long balls by Edwin Torres and Trey Mines to cut the deficit to just one possession. Fouls took its toll on Scott again sending him to the bench permanently with six minutes remaining. Those six minutes proved crucial as Smith could never get closer than five points from the lead. Virginia State converted 11 Golden Bull turnovers to 14 points in the second half. The Trojans committed just four turnovers in the entire second half.

Sophomore Jerry Hollis (Charlotte, N.C.) scored 15 points and collected eight rebounds. Senior Edmund Rainey (Buffalo, N.Y.) contributed 14 points and three rebounds in the loss.

Trey Mines had led the Trojan offensive attack with 19 points followed by Jamar Fleming's 13. Clifton Springfield-Cobb chilled in 13 while Leon Willis had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The win improves VSU's overall record to 8-14, 6-7 in conference play. Johnson C. Smith falls to 14-8 overall, 8-6 in the CIAA.

Johnson C. Smith will now host the western division leader in Saint Augustine's College on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Brayboy Gymnasium.