Philip Wood scored 24 points in the blowout against Chowan University. (Durane Byrd)

On Wednesday January 4th the Chowan Hawks went to Brayboy Gymnasium (Charlotte, NC) to face their CIAA opponent, the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith. Both teams needed a win and were at .500 in the standings before the game. The score of the game was 27-24 then JCSU took advantage with 3:43 remaining before halftime and that’s when JCSU took full control of Chowan’s defense. The Golden Bulls went on a 10-2 run to close out the first half.

JCSU head coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. said after the game: “The level of competition at the tournament in Illinois forced us to examine our own talents. I was pleased to see how we have responded and gelled in some areas. I still have some concerns about our rebounding and team defense, but ultimately we’re positively progressing.”
Midway through the 2nd half, JCSU used a 16-3 spurt to take an 83-49 lead and seized control of the game.  Chowan would score the final 11 points of the game, and held JCSU scoreless over the final 3:28. Four Golden Bulls finished the game in  double-digits for points, led by Phillip Wood. Wood concluded the evening with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds. Rickey Lamb for Chowan led his team with a career high 16 points. The final score of the game was 95-69. The Hawks fall to 6-7 overall, and 0-1 in CIAA play.  JCSU is now 6-5 (1-0 CIAA).