Staff report

SALISBURY — Livingstone’s men’s basketball team provided excitement, but fell short of victory, in Saturday’s CIAA opener against Bluefield State.

Bluefield State (4-3) won 89-84 at Trent Gym behind 25 points by Jordan Hinds and 20 by Larry Howell.

James Nipper had a career game for Livingstone (6-2) with 29 points. He shot 10-for-18 and made four 3-pointers. Jamal Cannady scored 17 for the Blue Bears, while Ta’jae Jenkins had 10.

Both teams shot in the 40-percent range. Livingstone won on the glass, but that rebounding advantage was negated by Bluefield State’s 19-10 edge in the turnover battle.

The game was tied at the half, but Bluefield State surged ahead by 10 points on a dunk by Hinds with 6:10 left.

Bluefield State led the rest of the way, although the Blue Bears got as close as two points with 1:17 remaining.

Howell made clinching free throws for the visitors with 11 seconds left.

Bluefield State     39    50   — 89

Livingstone          39    45    — 84

LC scoring — Nipper 29, Cannady 17, Jenkins 10, Ijeoma 9, Collins-Johnson 6, P. Tako 4, Shaw 4, Leak 3, Kourouma 2.