Charlotte, NC (January 15, 2022) –
Rasheka Simmons has been playing some of her best basketball lately with a career-high 26 points in Fayetteville State's 64-70 loss to Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte, NC. The Broncos, 2-2 in conference play and 5-7 overall, remain atop of the CIAA Southern Division with a .500 winning percentage despite losing its first divisional tilt. JC Smith is now 6-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
Simmons, a native of Reynolds, Ga., has scored double-digits in the past six games and had a previous high of 20 points against Elizabeth City State before the Christmas break. In the Broncos' last outing on January 1
st at Davis & Elkins, Rasheka had her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Flore Ngasamputu (Kinshasa, DRC) contributed to the effort as the only other Bronco to score double figures with ten points.
Johnson C. Smith jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead following jump-ball and held on to a 24-18 lead after the quarter. FSU Captured its first lead with seven minutes left in the half and led by as much as six (34-28) with two-and-a-half left for a halftime score tied at the knot at 34-even.
Following intermission, Johnson C. Smith orchestrated a 9-0 in the third quarter that gave them a 45-38 edge. The lead grew to nine (50-41) and stood that way at the 2:23 mark of the fourth quarter, 65-56.
With two minutes remaining in regulation, Simmons cut the score down to 65-62 with 47 seconds left. She started the run with a layup in the paint and pulled up a close-range jumper with 1:20 left from an assist by
Aniylah Bryant.
Bryant had a quiet game of 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Simmons made it a one-possession game with the layup attempt on the whistle at 47 seconds. The ball went through the basket, but it was waived off due to the foul. So, Rasheka made the two points from the charity stripe.
Johnson C. Smith made 5-of-6 free throws to seal the victory in the final 22 seconds. The Golden Bulls out-rebounded FSU 51-42 and scored 19 points from the Broncos' 18 turnovers.
Fayetteville State will travel to Livingstone College, which is 3-10 overall on the season, Wednesday, January 19
th for a 5:30 pm tip.
