BUENA VISTA, Va. – Freshman Rhashad Johnson came off the bench to score a game and season-high 23 points and help carry Frostburg past Southern Virginia, 74-73, in CAC action Wednesday.
It marks the third-straight game in double figures for Johnson as the Bobcats (4-12, 3-6) have now collected back-to-back wins in league play.
Frostburg appeared to take control of the ballgame in the second half when it used a 12-1 scoring run for a 13-point lead, 64-51 with just 7:25 to play.
Johnson started the outburst with a jumper in the paint at the 11:00 mark and freshman Daniel Alexander scored the final two points behind a pair of free throws at 7:25. Two minutes later, junior Tyler Michael hit a jumper to keep Frostburg's lead at 11, 70-59.
The Knights (3-13, 1-8) answered with 10-straight points over the next several minutes that trimmed the FSU lead to just one, 70-69, with 1:33 to play.
Michael hit a jumper at 1:10 to end Frostburg's scoring drought and with 27 seconds left, he hit a layup to put the Bobcats up three, 74-71.
Southern Virginia once again narrowed its deficit to one, 74-73, when Cale Thornton hit a layup with 14 seconds left. SVU had a chance at the final buzzer to win the game but a jumper was off the mark as Frostburg escaped with the one-point victory.
Frostburg led by as many as eight points late in the first half, 28-20, when Michael connected on a free throw with 2:13 left. The visitors also led by nine, 46-37, just over five minutes into the second half when freshman Lawrence Pettis, Jr. hit a three-pointer.
Johnson also poured in a game-best four three-pointers, dished out four assists and registered three steals. Michael finished with 17 points on 8-of-17 shooting, while Pettis, Jr. added 11 points and three three-pointers.
As a team, the Bobcats shot 46.2 percent from the field and tied a season-high with nine three-pointers.
Southern Virginia finished with four players in double figures as Chris Richardson led the way with 17 points. Rashay Douglas was second on the roster with 16.
Frostburg will host No. 3 ranked Christopher Newport this Saturday at 3:00 pm.
