SALISBURY — It was another black-and-blue CIAA victory for Livingstone on Saturday night.

The Blue Bears survived a 40-minute test of nerves at Trent Gym, where they gained an important 54-53 win against visiting Shaw.

“We were fortunate,” coach James Stinson said after Livingstone (14-7, 8-4 CIAA), the defending league champion, won for the sixth time in seven games. “The defending champions were last year’s team. This one is having a difficult time being consistent.”

This one got a favorable call when a last-second shot by Shaw’s Larry Richardson was slapped off the backboard by Livingstone junior Ty Newman. Shaw coach Cleo Hill Jr. argued for a goaltending call that never came.

“I had a good view of it,” he said. “I thought the ball hit the backboard first. I thought we had the play. But sometimes you can make a lot of plays and still not win the game.”

It was the second time this season Shaw (10-12, 5-7 CIAA) fell to Livingstone.

Livingstone was paced by 6-foot-9 senior Hakeem Jackson, who poured in 22 points and thrilled the overflow crowd with a couple of industrial-strength dunks. His early jam helped the Blue Bears jump to a 15-4 lead in the first nine minutes. And his three-point play provided a 26-20 halftime edge.

“It’s exhausting to play at a high level, but that’s what we were trying to do,” said Jackson, who shot 8-for-12 from the field. “If we execute and do what Coach says to do, we’ll be all right in the end.”

Livingstone’s Eric Mayo picked up his third personal foul early in the second half and was forced to the bench. Shaw capitalized and tied the score 30-30 on Richardson’s 3-pointer from the left corner with 17 minutes to play. When Mayo later returned, his turn-around layup from left baseline gave the Blue Bears a 46-36 lead with 7:40 remaining.

Shaw tied the score 51-51 hit a layup with two minutes on the clock.

When Mayo converted both ends of a one-and-one with 13.7 seconds remaining, the Blue Bears had a three-point advantage.

Shaw was down one after Savoy’s jam before Richardson’s buzzer-beating shot was rejected.

“I blocked it into the glass. It wasn’t goaltending,” Newman said.

SHAW (53): Savoy 10, Odd 8, Reid 8, Richardson 6, Reed 6, Timmons 6, Cooper 4, Mize 3, Ward 2, Echols.

LIVINGSTONE (54): Jackson 22, Dubose 12, Flint 8, Newman 4, Mayo 4, Williams 2, Cole 2, Henry, Harris, D.Johnson, C.Johnson, Wilson, M.Johnson, Traynham.

Shaw  20  33 — 53

Livingstone  26  28 — 54