DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ricky Johnson scored 11 points, including a go-ahead free throw with 2 seconds remaining, as Bethune-Cookman averted disaster by holding on to beat Maryland-Eastern Shore 58-57 Monday night.
The Wildcats (8-14, 3-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) led 53-46 with 4:32 remaining, but the Hawks' Kevin Mays hit a layup with 18 seconds left to cap a 6-0 run and tie it at 57.
Francis Ezeiru fouled Johnson on the ensuing Bethune-Cookman possession, and Johnson, a 5-foot-9 sophomore, hit the second of two shots for the one-point edge.
The Wildcats had entered 0-3 this season in games decided by three or fewer points.
Adrien Coleman led Bethune-Cookman with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Mays paced Maryland-Eastern Shore (1-15, 1-4) with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Troy Snyder and Louis Bell added 11 points while Ezeiru had 13 rebounds.
The Hawks outrebounded the Wildcats 40-30, but were outscored in the paint 28-18.
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