By Jarrett Hoffman
HBCU Sports
https://hbcusports.com/
The Fayetteville State Broncos kept their unbeaten record in the calendar year intact following a thrilling 114-112 MLK Day win over Peach Belt Conference contender the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USC Beaufort).
Fayetteville State extends its win streak to five in its final non-conference game of the season, improving its overall record to 11-6 (3-0 against Peach Belt Conference teams).
This is the third time in the last four games that the Broncos have scored 100 points or more, including two games with over 110 points (did not reach 100 points in their first 13 contests).
Fayetteville State was led by a trio of players who scored over 20 points, marking the third straight game it has had at least two players reach 20 points in the same game.
Ezekiel Cannedy came off the bench to score a game-high 26 points, hitting 7-of-12 shots from the field, including four three-pointers.
Larry Howell recorded 24 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals, while Romeo Aquino notched a double-double with 23 points on 58% shooting and 12 rebounds.
Fayetteville State led for the majority of the first half, peaking with a 16-point advantage in the final two minutes, going into halftime up 53-44.
Cannedy was a spark plug for the Broncos on offense in the first half, scoring 18 of his 26 points and hitting all four of his three-point attempts.
However, the second half was a different story, with USC Beaufort going on a 39-22 run after going down 16 points to take a 71-70 lead with 14:07 remaining in the game.
The game would remain close down the stretch, featuring eight lead changes from the point Beaufort took the lead in the second half.
Fayetteville State gained the lead for good with 1:56 remaining when Aquino hit a layup to put the team up 109-108.
Although missed free throws by the Broncos kept the game interesting, they were able to force a miss on a potential go-ahead three in the final seconds to hold on for the win.
Fayetteville State will be back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Salisbury, North Carolina, for a matchup against the Livingstone Blue Bears.
Jarrett Hoffman is an HBCU Sports contributor and a graduate of Bowie State University.
