SALISBURY, N.C. -  The Shaw University men's basketball team could not find an offensive flow as they fell to Livingstone 76-53 at Trent Gym on the Livingstone campus Saturday night.

With the loss -- their third straight -- Shaw falls to 6-11 overall, 4-3 in CIAA action.  Livingstone improves to 11-5, 4-3 in conference play.

Shaw was outshot, outrebounded and committed more turnovers than the Blue Bears -- struggling all night to put together an offensive run to challenge host Livingstone.

Livingstone took 17 more shots than Shaw (69-52), making more (27-20), and pulling in more rebounds (49-37).  Shaw led in turnovers, 15-5.

Livingstone jumped to a strong lead early on the basis of good defense, good rebounding and the ability to put up a lot of shots in the first half.  The Livingstone defense forced nine Shaw turnovers in the first and that coupled with strong offensive rebounding allowed the Blue Bears to take 18 more shots (38-20) than the Bears.  While Shaw hit 45 percent, Livingstone hit only 36.8 percent, but sank 14 shots versus only nine for the Bears.

The Bears held a 4-2 lead on the back of four straight points from Andre Paulk, but the Blue Bears roared back and took control early.   In the next five minutes, Livingstone outscored Shaw 11-1 to take a 13-5 lead on a dunk from Eric Mayo. 

Larry Richardson got the Bears back on the scoreboard with a rebound and fastbreak layup, cutting the Livingstone lead to 13-7 lead with 12:46 left in the first.

Nine minutes later, trailing by eight, Aquil Younger hit a jumper in the lane to trim the Livingstone lead to 26-20, but Livingstone closed out the half on a 9-2 run to give them a 35-22 lead at the half.

With 17:26 left in the contest, Larry Richardson led the fastbreak down the court and pulled up for a jumper in the lane to trim the Livingstone lead to ten, 39-29.  The Blue Bears scored the next seven points, extending their lead to 17 before Joe Reid found Andre Paulk under the bucket for a layup to trim the Livingstone lead to 46-31.

Over the next three minutes, Livingstone would go on a 9-4 run to extend their lead to 20 on a free throw from Daresse Johnson with 8:44 left in the game.

Down by 22 with 7:50 left, Shaw ran off seven straight points, keyed by a three from Derrick Hunter, to cut the Livingstone lead to 15, but the Blue Bears answered with an 8-2 run to stretch the lead back to 21.

Shaw answered with five straight, including a three from Younger to close to within 16, but could get no closer, as Livingstone closed out the game with a 9-2 run for the 76-63 final.

Paulk and Richardson had 14 points apiece for the Bears, while Paulk also pulled in 12 rebounds for a double-double. 

Mark Thomas led the Blue Bears with 19 points, while Cristian Henry added ten.  Henry had nine rebounds and Mark Thomas and Eric Dubose three assists apiece to lead Livingstone.

Saturday's game concluded the Bears' four-game road trip where they went 1-3.   Shaw returns home Wednesday, January 22 to host division rival Winston-Salem State at 8:00 p.m. at C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium on the Shaw campus.