With points scored at a rapid pace, the CIAA men’s contest between Bowie State and Saint Augustine’s College resembled an NBA game. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulldogs had outscored the Falcons 116-104 inside Emery Gymnasium on Thursday, February 8, 2007.

The win pulled the Bulldogs (14-5, 10-5 CIAA) within one game of the Falcons (15-6, 11-4 CIAA), who led the CIAA standings entering the game. Both teams were ranked in the South Atlantic Region with the Falcons sixth and the Bulldogs seventh. The victory also extended the Bulldogs’ win streak to five games and snapped the Falcons’ three-game win streak.

The Falcons were coming off a huge weekend road win over CIAA powerhouse Virginia Union, but the Bulldogs opened an early 21-point lead and led 63-48 at halftime. The Falcons set a season-high for most points scored and most points allowed in the first half this season.

The Falcons got as close as 85-81 on Robert Shuler’s free throw with 7:03 remaining in the second half, but never caught the Bulldogs in an entertaining contest. The Falcons outscored the Bulldogs in the second half 56-53.

Gil Goodrich, Bowie State’s electrifying point guard, scored 41 points on 11 of 18 shooting including six of 10 3-pointers to lead five Bulldogs in double figures. Goodrich also made 13 of 16 free throws and dished out eight assists. He leads the nation and the CIAA in scoring.

Tyronne Beale backed Goodrich with 22 points and 11 rebounds, Jason Ingram scored 17, and Orlando Wright and Joshua Johnson both added 13 points.

Senior guard-forward Nicholas King (Philadelphia, PA) was deadly from the outside as he led the Falcons with a career-high 35 points including 10 of 20 field goals and 11 of 13 free throws. King was four of 10 from behind the 3-point arc.

Senior guard Antonio Fitzgerald (Danville, VA) added 26 points and nine assists, and Shuler (Newport News, VA) scored a career-high 16 points.

The Falcons set season-highs for most points scored and most points allowed in a game this season. The last time the Falcons played in such a high scoring game was the season opener on November 17, 2006, a 106-102 overtime loss to Barton. Last season, the Bulldogs defeated the Falcons 102-91 in Emery Gymnasium on December 3, 2005.

The Falcons now have two days to prepare for another key CIAA game against Fayetteville State at FSU’s Capel Arena on Saturday, February 10, 2007. Fayetteville State leads the CIAA Western Division at 4-0 and the Falcons are second at 3-1. The televised contest starts at 5 p.m.