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ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Fayetteville State opened CIAA play with a statement Thursday night, silencing the R.L. Vaughan Center with a 73-59 victory over Elizabeth City State. The Broncos leaned on their veteran trio of Ezekiel Cannedy, Larry Howell, and Romeo Aquino, who combined for 56 points and set the tone on both ends of the floor.
Cannedy was electric from deep, drilling six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 24 points. Every time the Vikings threatened, the senior guard answered with a dagger from beyond the arc. Howell was a force inside, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Aquino controlled the glass and added 13 points for his second double-double of the season.
After a slow start, Fayetteville State found its rhythm late in the first half. Leading 19-17, the Broncos strung together a 5-0 spurt to create breathing room and carried a 30-23 advantage into the break. From there, they never looked back.
The knockout punch came midway through the second half. With the Vikings hanging around, Cannedy splashed a three to cap an 8-0 run, stretching the lead to 57-43 with 9:22 remaining. The Broncos' defense did the rest, holding ECSU to just 36.4% shooting and a frigid 18.8% from long range.
Fayetteville State's efficiency told the story: 41.4% from the field, 42.1% from deep, and 73.9% at the line. The Broncos also dominated the boards, pulling down 34 rebounds and limiting second-chance opportunities.
Donovan Flamer paced Elizabeth City State with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the Vikings never found consistent offense. Fayetteville State's length and pressure forced 11 turnovers and erased any hopes of a comeback.
The win moves the Broncos to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in CIAA play, setting the tone for a pivotal stretch of conference games.
By the Numbers
- 24 – Points for Ezekiel Cannedy, including 6 made threes
- 19 & 9 – Larry Howell's points and rebounds
- 13 & 11 – Romeo Aquino's double-double
- 8-of-19 – Broncos from 3-point range (42.1%)
- 26 – Defensive rebounds for Fayetteville State
- 36.4% – Vikings' field goal percentage
- 0 – Times the game was tied
Next Up
Fayetteville State hits the road again for a marquee non-CIAA matchup: Saturday, Dec. 6 – 4:00 PM at Virginia Union (Richmond, VA)
