RALEIGH, NC --The Shaw men's basketball team got a 35-point performance from the bench on the way to an 82-79 victory against the Bluefield State Big Blues at home Wednesday.
The Bears (5-5) had four players score in double figures, led by Amir Waddell, who had 16 points. Caleb Simmons added 13 points and nine rebounds and Denari Garrett helped out with 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Shaw utilized great ball movement in Wednesday's game, piling up 16 assists on 34 made field goals. DJ Thomas' five assists paced the Bears and Jason Robinson also contributed with four assists of his own.
The Shaw defense caused its share of mistakes in Wednesday's game, forcing 18 Bluefield State turnovers while committing 16. Those takeaways turned into 20 points on the offensive end of the floor. Thomas' three steals led the way individually for the Bears.
How It Happened
Shaw struggled out of the gate, falling behind 38-33 heading into halftime.
Shaw narrowed its deficit to 76-72 before going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Waddell's layup, to seize an 80-76 lead with 3:02 to go in the contest. The Big Blues narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Bears still held on for the 82-79 win with the Big Blue getting one last shot attempt with under five seconds left. Shaw took care of business in the paint, recording 34 of its 49 points in the lane.
Game Notes
» Shaw tallied 16 total assists in the game.
» Amir Waddell and
Denari Garrett came off the bench to score 16 and 12 points, respectively.
» The Shaw defense forced 18 turnovers.
» Shaw got a team-high nine rebounds from
Caleb Simmons.
Quotes
Head Coach Bobby Collins about the second half surge
"We shortened the game. We knew we could score but didn't want to turn it into a track meet."
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Amir Waddell, who led the Bears with 16 points
"[My teammates] were looking for me and they were getting me the ball."
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Doriuntas Barnes on the upcoming CIAA schedule
"Tonight was a battle. We've got to carry it over [into conference play]."
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Up Next
Shaw opens CIAA action as the Bears travel to Orangeburg, SC to face the Claflin Panthers Saturday, December 10. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM.Â
