STATESMEN PUSH NO. 12 LOUISBURG TO THE BRINK IN TIGHT 78-67 DEFEAT

LOUISBURG, N.C. (Feb. 10, 2016) — The last time Louisburg College and Richard Bland College faced one another in Petersburg nearly a month ago, the Hurricanes breezed to a 100-69 victory. On Wednesday evening, history would not repeat itself, as the No. 12 nationally-ranked Hurricanes had to fend off a scrappy and determined Statesmen team to register a 78-67 victory in Region X Conference play at the Roger G. Taylor Athletic Center.

The Hurricanes could never quite slip away from the Statesmen, and in fact held a scant 53-52 lead with 9:28 remaining after Petersburg's Gevon Arrington connected on a slashing drive to the hoop. The next three minutes of the game decided the outcome, however, as the Hurricanes went on a 9-0 run, getting four points from freshman guard Vinnie Agee, to surge ahead 62-52 with six minutes remaining. 

From that point, the closest Richard Bland came was 67-64 following a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Reginald Moses with 1:39 remaining. 

With the hard-fought loss, Richard Bland drops to 12-13, 8-7 in Region X. Louisburg, which has won 17 of its last 18 games and 12 straight, improves to 21-4, 13-1. The Statesmen next return home for a non-conference game against No. 15 nationally-ranked Potomac State (WV) on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m., which is Tri-Cities Youth Game on campus. The game is free for all Tri-Cities youth accompanied by one adult. Louisburg next hosts Patrick Henry on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m.

Down 36-31 at halftime, Richard Bland went on a mini 6-0 run to draw within 43-30 following a driving layup by sophomore guard Gerard Dean-McBride. Louisburg managed to stay three-to-four points ahead of a pressing Statesmen team, and when sophomore forward Troy Gibson connected on a dunk at the 10 minute mark, the Statesmen were within striking distance, 51-47. Leading 57-52, Louisburg got a big 3-pointer from sophomore guard Deshawn High and an inside bucket from Agee to earn its ten-point lead.

The Statesmen fell behind 10-4 five minutes into the contest and trailed 27-20 at the 7 minute mark. A 3-pointer by freshman guard Myles Markland brought Richard Bland within 27-24 and although the Hurricanes tried to pull away late in the first half, baskets by McBride and freshman guard Deandre Clark, along with a layup with two seconds left by sophomore forward Devin Smith, brought Richard Bland within 36-31 at intermission.

Moses led Richard Bland with 17 points, 11 of them coming in the second half. Freshman guard Jordan Griggs had nine points and Dean-McBride had seven points. Freshman forward Eric Washington grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds. 

Sophomore guard CJ Hill scored 17 points for Louisburg and sophomore forward Jamarcus Hairston added 16 points.