Staff report

CHARLOTTE — J.C. Smith had a nice run late in the first half and went on to defeat Livingstone, 89-75, in CIAA men’s basketball action here Wednesday night.

Tied at 19-19 with 8:47 left in the first half, the Golden Bulls outscored the Blue Bears, 24-10, and headed to the locker room with a 43-29 advantage.

With the loss, Livingstone falls to 6-8 overall and 4-4 in the conference. J.C. Smith improves to 11-7 and 4-2.

The Blue Bears pulled to within six points early in the second half, when a jumper from guard Roger Ray made the score 45-39.

But the Bulls soon regained a double-digit lead which reached 20 points at 78-58, with 4:48 left in the contest.

Another basket by Ray to the Blue Bears to within 10 points with 1:45 remaining, at 81-71, but Christian Kirchman made free throws down the stretch for JCSU. Michael Bowman, a North Rowan High School graduate, also had a big layup late in the game and ended up with 10 points.

Ray led Livingstone with 29 points, followed by 10 from Cameron Burhannon.

In addition to Bowman and Kirchman (16 points), three others J.C. Smith players reached double figures — Roddric Ross (18), Cayse Minor (17) and Jonathan Curtis (12). Curtis also had a game-high 11 rebounds.

The two teams combined to shoot 72 free throws. Livingstone was 22-of-35, while the Bulls were 29-of-37. JCSU was also 50 percent from both the floor (26-of-52) and the 3-point line (8-of-16).

NOTES: Livingstone returns to action on Saturday, at home against St. Augustine’s at 4 p.m. … Bowman started the game for JCSU. Another former North Rowan star, Malik Ford, came off the bench for the Bulls and scored two points.

LIVINGSTONE (75) — Patterson 3, McClendon 5, Ray 29, Todd 9, Walker 3, Burhannon 10, Moore, Belfield, Lewis, Livingston, N. Elmore 4, L. Elmore 6, McNeill 1, Smith 4, Flippin 1, Stallworth.

J.C. SMITH (89) — Bowman 10, Bennett 8, Minor 17, Ross 18, Kirchman 16, Adair 6, Mitchell, Harper, Ford 2, Curtis 12.

Livingstone       29   46  — 75

J.C. Smith         43   46  — 89