FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville State (15-7 overall, 10-4 CIAA) added a notch to its six-game win-streak after defeating Johnson C. Smith (12-12, 8-8) in a 72-66 divisional matchup for FSU's 10th annual Ball in Pink game in Felton J. Capel Arena.
 
Although the Broncos have the same divisional record as Winston-Salem State (7-1), FSU has the advantage with an earlier victory over the Rams.
 
Four Broncos finished in double digits including Shantel Bennett (Sanford, N.C.), 17 points, Katisha Hyman (Chocowinty, N.C.), 15 points, Chantel Williams (Charlotte, N.C.),12 points, and Brittany Drumgoole (Kinston, N.C.) with 10 points.
 
It came down to a fight in the fourth quarter as the Golden Bulls chipped away at the Broncos 14-point (53-39) third-quarter lead. Johnson C. Smith, who is 4-3 in the division, led by as much as six points in the first quarter with 8:38 left. The Golden Bulls led 13-12 at the end of the period.  Fayetteville State had a six-point lead of its own with a 37-31 lead at intermission.
 
Fayetteville State went on an 11-3 run to increase its lead to 13 (47-34) with 7:24 left in the third quarter. Hyman scored 8 of the 11 points with a bookend three-pointers.
 
After the Golden Bulls trailed by 14 with 4:15 left, JCSU cut the lead down to nine (58-49) by the end of the third quarter.
 
The Golden Bulls worked itself to a 68-63 score with 2:43 left in the game but the Broncos made 4 of 5 free throws. JCSU missed two scoring opportunities and a free throw in the final minute of the game.
 
"In the third quarter, we knew that we had to have a big quarter," said Head Coach Serena King-Coleman. "That's always our emphasis on how we come out after halftime. We put the foot to the metal if we can and we won that quarter and that gives us momentum."
 
Malia Rivers and Blaire Thomas led the effort for the Golden Bulls with 15 points and 14 points respectively.
 
The Broncos host the Blue Bears of Livingstone College in Felton J. Capel Arena on Wednesday, February 13th at 5:30 p.m.