Staff report

BALTIMORE — Livingstone’s men’s basketball season ended quietly with a late-night loss to Elizabeth City State that closed the opening day of the CIAA Tournament.

A tremendous performance by Detionne Leach, who scored 26 efficient points, wasn’t enough to save the Blue Bears from Tuesday’s 69-64 setback.

The eighth-seeded Blue Bears (11-15) pulled down 53 rebounds, 24 on the offensive end, but 3-for-17 3-point shooting, 14 missed free throws and 17 turnovers were too much to overcome.

The ninth-seeded Vikings (13-15) got 15 points from Tre Richardson at CFG Bank Arena and advanced to a daunting quarterfinal matchup with top-seeded Virginia Union on Wednesday night.

Elizabeth City shot 4-for-22 from 3 and didn’t make a single 3 in the second half, but won anyway.

With Livingstone shooting 29 percent in the first half, Elizabeth City State was able to take a 36-31 halftime lead.

Livingstone came back, tied the game and went ahead by as many as four points in the second half before the Vikings staged a rally of their own.

Leach scored with 3:30 left for a 64-all tie, but the Vikings had the stronger finishing kick.

Livingstone’s Khyree Temple made the All-CIAA team. He contributed 18 points, but had a 5-for-15 shooting night.

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Livingstone’s 10th-seeded women bowed out of the tournament earlier on Tuesday with a hard-fought 66-63 loss to seventh-seeded Virginia State.

Jamiah Lane led the 10th-seeded Blue Bears with 18 points on 9-for-12 shooting. Andresia Alexander scored 13.

Livingstone trailed by 16, came back to lead by eight, and then wilted with turnovers and foul trouble.

Seventh-seeded Virginia State shot 39 free throws to Livingstone’s 13.

Livingstone (11-18) had three different head coaches during a long season. Maurice Sumter led the Blue Bears down the stretch.