62nd Annual CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Bobcats Arena - Charlotte, N.C.
LATE TRIPLE CLINCHES VIKINGS UPSET OF
BULLDOGS
Dismal Free-Throw Shooting Spells Doom for Bowie State
March 2, 2007
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Elizabeth City State University junior guard Brian West drilled a three-pointer with 23 seconds left to clinch a 59-54 upset victory over Bowie State University in the CIAA Men's Basketball Tournament semifinals on Friday (March 2) inside Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, N.C.
ECSU advances to the CIAA Tournament Championship Game for the fourth time in school history (1999, 1981, 1969) to face three-time defending conference champion Virginia Union University on Saturday (March 3) at 8 p.m.
Bowie State crushed its chances of winning by shooting just 6-of-19 (32 percent) from the free-throw line after leading the conference at converting from the charity stripe during the regular season.
In a game that saw seven ties and 12 lead changes, neither team led by more than five points in the second half.
With 5:34 left to play in the contest, ECSU senior forward C.J. Pigford hit a layup to give the Vikings a 51-46 advantage.
BSU junior forward Joshua Johnson scored four consecutive points to pull the Bulldogs to within one point at 51-50 with 4:22 left.
Two minutes later, ECSU held a four-point lead when Johnson's layup pulled BSU within striking distance at 56-54 with 2:13 on the clock.
After several empty possessions by both teams, West hit his third triple of the night to put the game out of reach.
"That was a huge shot," ECSU head coach Shawn Walker said about West's three-point heroics. "We have seen that ball go in several times against us, so we were due for on to go our way."
Sophomore Anthony Hilliard topped a balanced ECSU scoring attack with 13 points, while fellow sophomore Jabyron Wilson added 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
BSU was paced by CIAA Player of the Year Gil Goodrich with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Senior forward Tyronne Beale amassed 14 points and 11 boards for his ninth double-double performance of the season, while Johnson finished with 14 points in the setback.
"In games like this, you have to make free throws," said BSU head coach Luke D'Alessio, "and we just did not do it tonight."
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