Senior forward Ray Gatling scored a game-high 22 points but Bowie State dropped its regular season finale to Elizabeth City State, 85-80, in a Central Interscholastic Athletic Association (CIAA) game on Feb. 22 in Bowie, Md.
The Bulldogs ended their regular season campaign 14-13 overall, 8-8 in the CIAA conference and 7-3 in the CIAA North division.
Bowie State had a strong first half against Elizabeth City State, using a 15-2 scoring run to take a double-digit lead with seven minutes left in the opening half. The Bulldogs went into halftime with a seven-point lead, but Elizabeth City State came out firing in the second half to take the lead. The Bulldogs kept it close for the remainder of the half, but Elizabeth City State made more shots during the final minute of the game to hold on to the win.
Sophomore guard Miykael Faulcon led Elizabeth City State with 21 points, while junior forward Darrell Ward added 18 points. Senior forward Carlos Smith scored 18 points for Bowie State and senior guard David Golloday added 14 points in the loss.
Despite the loss, Bowie State retained first place in the CIAA North division heading into the CIAA basketball tournament. That tournament is scheduled to start on Feb. 27 in Charlotte, N.C.
