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College basketball game ends in bizarre 76-76 tie

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In two decades as an assistant coach, after playing basketball for Johnson C. Smith, Mark Sherill has seen a lot.

But Wednesday night was a first.

The game between Johnson C. Smith and visiting Winston-Salem State ended in a draw.

A tip-in by Javan Wells of the Rams tied the Division II college game at 76 with 0.3 seconds left when Joshua Linson tried a full-court shot. The ball hit off of two lights, knocking them out — with one light left hanging.

After trying to fix the situation, head coach Stephen Joyner Sr., also the Johnson C. Smith director of athletics, had a conference with the game officials to reassess the situation and it was deemed a safety concern.

“We didn’t know how long the chains would last,” Sherill said. “The Winston-Salem coach (Bobby Collins) agreed it didn’t look safe. I’ve been in basketball a long time; this is the first time I’ve ever had a draw.”

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