Staff report

SALISBURY —Livingstone rebounded from a poor start with a great second half to defeat Bowie State, 59-51, in CIAA women’s basketball action at New Trent Gym.

The Blue Bears outscored the Bulldogs by 19 points in the third and fourth quarters, including a 24-12 advantage in the final period.

Coach Anita Howard’s Blue Bears move to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in the CIAA. Bowie falls to 8-4 and 1-1.

Livingstone used the 3-point field goal to get back into the game. Down by 16 points early in the third quarter, two 3-pointers from Brittany Taylor and one each by Zena Lovette and Bria Patterson brought the Blue Bears most of the way back and then a layup from Kanesha Lankford cut Bowie’s lead to 39-35, heading into the final 10 minutes.

A three-point play on a layup by Taylor finally tied the game for the first time at 41-41, with 8:23 left.

Four straight points from senior guard Amber Curtis gave Livingstone a working advantage and then scores from Taylor and Alexis Fowler pushed the Blue Bears’ lead to seven points at 48-41.

A 3-pointer from Taylor with 3:50 remaining in the game gave Livingstone a commanding 10-point lead and the Blue Bears never looked back.

Livingstone came out very cold, shooting-wise, at the beginning of the contest, falling behind, 12-0, before Wende Foster’s layup broke the ice, five minutes into the game.

The Blue Bears shot just 20 percent in the first half, and were down, 28-17, at halftime. Livingstone was 7-for-35 from the floor in the first half, including 0-for-10 from the three-point arc.

Livingstone shot nearly 40 percent from the three-point line in the second half, making seven of 18.

Turnovers were also a factor in the Blue Bears’ deficit, as they had 12 in the first half, compared to eight miscues for Bowie State.

Curtis led Livingstone with 16 points while Taylor had 13 and Patterson followed with 11.  Taylor had eight rebounds for the Blue Bears and Lovette added seven boards.

Bowie was paced by Kiara Colston’s 18 points and 11 from Kayah Proctor. Ashley Jennings led the Bulldogs in rebounding with eight boards.

BOWIE STATE (51) — Colston 18, Proctor 11, Orsted 2, Jackson 8, Jennings 9, Jing 2, Heard 1, Stanhope, Prilliman.

LIVINGSTONE (59) — Wilson 4, Lovette 5, Curtis 16, Foster 3, Taylor 13, Patterson 11, Lankford 4, Gadson, Fowler 3.

Bowie State        16    12   11   12 — 51

Livingstone         7     10   18   24 — 59