(Raleigh, NC) -  Shaw men's basketball team gave up the lead in the second half, but came back and downed Fayetteville State 84-70 for their sixth straight win. 

Shaw (17-7, 10-5 CIAA, 6-2 Division) moves into sole possession of first place in the Southern Division with the win and Winston-Salem State's loss to Johnson C. Smith.  Fayetteville State (13-11, 8-7 CIAA, 4-4 Division) could have had a share of the lead if they had won tonight's game, but now falls to third in the division.

The Bears fell behind early, struggling to find a shooting stroke in the opening minutes.  Down 8-0 with 17:04 left in the first, Dwight Bell got the Bears on the board with a pair of free throws.    That started a 7-2 run that cut the Bronco lead to three.

Fayetteville State answered with a 10-4 run of their own that stretched the lead to nine when Tyrell Tate hit a layup with 13:04 left in the half and set the score at 20-11, FSU.

The Bears again cut it to three - this time with a 6-0 run, but FSU fought back and lengthened the lead to seven, 26-19, midway through the first.  The Bears went on another six-point run to cut the lead to one when David Jones hit a layup to make the score 26-25. 

With four minutes left in the first, Tony Smith hit a three to give the Bears their first lead of the game.  That started a seven-point run that built a five-point lead with just under two minutes left.   They would hold that same lead going into the locker room at the half, 41-36.

With 17:33 left in the game, Dwight Bell hit a layup to give the Bears a 47-40 lead.  The Broncos then went on a seven-point run to tie the game on a pair of Seth Hawkins free throws.  Shaw rebuilt the lead to six with 11:59 left in the game when the Broncos went on another seven-point run, this time taking the lead when Travis Marcus hit a trey  to make the score 56-55 in favor of FSU.

Raheem Smith hit a layup less than a minute later to retake the lead for the Bears and begin what would become a 13-2 run.  When Mclendon hit a layup for the Bears with 6:34 left in the game, the Bears held a ten-point advantage. 

The Broncos would cut the lead to as little as five, but could get no closer, and eventually saw the lead increase as they sent the Bears to the free throw line in the closing minutes of the game.

Tony Smith led the Bears with 20 points and six assists.  Mclendon coupled his 18 points with ten rebounds for a double-double.  Raheem Smith finished with 15 and David Jones had 13.

Jarmel Baxter led the Broncos with 15 points, while Sidney Evans had 14 and John Herrington had 10. 

The Bears travel to Winston-Salem Monday for a game against Winston-Salem State.  Tip is 7:30 p.m.  Shaw returns home Saturday, February 26 for their season ender - a matchup against cross-town rival Saint Augustine's.  Tip is 6:00 p.m. at C. C. Spaulding Gymnasium on the Shaw campus.  NOTE:  This game is being played as a single game, not a double header with the women.  The women play Saint Augustine's Thursday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m.

Photos:  Tony Smith (left) goes up for a layup in the first half of Shaw's win over Fayetteville State.  Devon Mclendon hits a jumper on the way to the win.