MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Shaw University men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a hard-fought 89-86 road loss to the University of Mount Olive on Monday night inside Kornegay Arena.
Darius Abraham paced the Bears with a team-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers, while Alijah England added 15 points and three steals. Daniel Lans provided a spark off the bench, finishing with 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting performance. Tamari Rowland recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
After trailing 40-31 at halftime, Shaw (0-1) found its offensive rhythm in the second half, pouring in 55 points to erase the deficit and set up a dramatic finish.
The Bears continued to chip away at the Trojans' lead down the stretch. A dunk by Shamon Jackson and consecutive baskets from England pulled Shaw within one, 86-85, with 51 seconds remaining. Abraham then connected on a free throw with 40 seconds left to tie the contest at 86.
However, Mount Olive's Matt Kirby delivered the decisive blow, knocking down a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to lift the Trojans to the three-point victory.
Despite the setback, Shaw shot 47.1% from the field and finished with 42 points in the paint. The Bears also forced 14 turnovers and recorded 10 steals. Mount Olive held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, converting 29 of 39 attempts compared to Shaw's 15 of 24.
Christian Ananaba led Mount Olive (1-0) with 19 points, while Kirby added 17 and Chaise Smith contributed 16.
