FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- The Fayetteville State men's basketball team held Johnson C. Smith to just 16.7 percent from 3-point range in a 3-for-18 shooting performance on the way to a 68-58 win over the Golden Bulls at home Monday. The Broncos (10-6 overall, 3-3 CIAA) had three players score in double figures, led by senior Fayetteville, NC native Tairell Fletcher, who had 21 points and hit his 1000th career point during the game. Ezekiel Cannedy added 12 points, and Caleb Simmons chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Reflecting on his milestone, Fletcher said, "It really means everything. When I first got to college, I never expected to hit 1000. I went to a JUCO first and then another JUCO and then Frostburg State. This 1000th point is really for my daughter."

Head Coach Luke D'Alessio praised Fletcher's achievement, stating, "It's a tough position that I put him in, cause I need him to distribute the ball, run the sets, control the team, and I also need him to score. And I need him to defend on the other end."

Javon Floyd pulled down four offensive rebounds to lead the Fayetteville State offense, which grabbed 16 boards and turned them into 13 second-chance points. Fayetteville State did a great job disrupting Johnson C. Smith's shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks, with Floyd's two rejections leading the way individually for the Broncos.

After jumping out to a 14-12 advantage, Fayetteville State went on a 9-0 run with 9:17 left in the first half to increase its lead to 23-12. The Broncos then lost some of that lead but still entered halftime with a 30-22 advantage. Fayetteville State got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 11 of its 30 total points.

Fayetteville State kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run to grow the lead to 58-46 with 5:09 to go in the contest. The Golden Bulls narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Broncos still cruised the rest of the way for the 68-58 win. Fayetteville State made the most of seven offensive rebounds to tack on six second-chance points out of 38 total in the period.

Despite the loss, Johnson C. Smith (7-6 overall, 3-3 CIAA) had notable performances from Javon Anderson, who scored 13 points, Ashton Sherrell, who added 12 points and six rebounds, and Javian Cannady, who contributed 10 points.

The Broncos will play Shaw on Thursday, January 16th, in Raleigh, NC, at 8:00 PM. Follow the action on fsubroncos.com/gameday.