Feb. 28, 2007

Box Score

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Josh Cummings hooked up with Ron Mitchell for a late dunk with eight seconds remaining to help Bethune-Cookman University defeat Morgan State, 52-50, at the Ocean Center on Monday night in Daytona Beach, Fla.

With the game tied at 50 for the latter part of the final 2:16 of the game, Bethune-Cookman (9-19, 6-11 MEAC) and Morgan State turned the ball over a combined six times before the Wildcats used their methodical, slow-down pace to get a good look at the basket for the final shot of the game.

B-CC senior forward/center Ron Mitchell used a curl to around a Morgan State (12-16, 10-7 MEAC) defender towards the paint with an "old school" Princeton style backdoor as Josh Cummings found him right at the doorstep for the wide-open dunk.

The Bears of MSU had one last shot, so to speak, but were unable to get a shot off to try and either win the game or send it to overtime as guard Joseph McLean was unable to get around the swarming defense applied by the B-CC pressure in the front court.

Morgan State had led by as many as six (45-39) in the second half when Rogers Barnes soared a three-point basket before the `Cats cut the lead down on the next possession. After Dewayne Pettus floated a jumper and Ron Mitchell connected on an old-fashioned three-point play, the Wildcats had trimmed the Bears lead to 45-44 with 6:28 left in the game.

Junior forward John Anderson hit back-to-back free throws that put the `Cats on top 46-45 just moments later. The lead would go back-and-forth and become tied, eventually, over the course of the next five minutes until the game-winning dunk.

Morgan State led 27-23 at the half as they went on a 14-7 run with the game tied at 4-4. That opened up the largest lead of the half at 18-11 with 5:19 remaining in the opening stanza.

MSU's Rogers Barnes opened up the run with a three-pointer, and Jamar Smith topped it with a running floater in the paint to give the Bears a 10-6 advantage. After MSU's Joseph McLean nailed a three-pointer--one of five on the night by the Bears, the Wildcats of B-CU used a jumper and two-free-throws from Jordan Carrier to cut the lead down to 25-23 with 35 seconds left in the half.

But that's when MSU's Ronald Timus went on a fast-break dunk for the 27-23 edge in favor of the Bears at the half.

Morgan State was led by Jamar Smith who had the hot hand with 17 points, while Ronald Timus added 11 points of his own. Boubacar Coly grabbed in a game-high nine rebounds for the Bears.

B-CU was led by Ron Mitchell's 11-point performance while he also added one blocked shot and four rebounds. Anderson tossed in 10 points while collecting six rebounds and three steals.

Tonight's game broke at least a six-year string of games where the `Cats had connected on at least one (1) three-point field goal in a contest. Records don't indicate when the last time they failed to hit a long range shot was, but they do show that it was at least six seasons ago. B-CU was 0-for-7 in the contest.

The Wildcats will now enjoy a "Senior Day" celebration on Saturday, Mar. 3 when they play host to rival Florida A&M University at Moore Gymnasium beginning at 4 p.m. This will be the last home game for seniors Damitrius Coleman, Ron Mitchell and Aaron Nelson at Moore Gym.