INSTITUTE, W.VA. –  After almost three weeks, West Virginia State Men's Basketball finally returned to action Saturday, dominating Mountain East Conference foe West Virginia Wesleyan 85-71 at Walker Convocation Center.

State moves to 8-5 on the season and .500 (3-3) in MEC action, shooting 53% from the floor.

Graduate student Ernest Jenkins topped the squad with 17 points, just two shy of his season-high, and went 3-for-5 beyond the arc with a steal. Classmate Glen Abram added 13 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the foul line and adding four rebounds and a steal.

Other double-digit scorers include fellow graduate student Jeremiah Moore with 12, with sophomore Noah Jordan adding 11 and freshman Dwaine Jones finishing the day with 10 points. Moore was a force on the boards with 10 rebounds, while Jordan finished with eight.

The Yellow Jackets dominated inside, hauling in 44 points in the paint and 41 total rebounds.

WVSU opened up play on a 13-5 scoring run, that last over four and a half minutes. Jordan led the way, registering seven points to give State a hefty lead to begin the half.

The Bobcats tallied three consecutive jumpers to cut the Yellow Jackets lead to just two points at 13-11 before an offensive surge from State lifted the squad with 10 unanswered. Treys from Bradlee Lewis and Jenkins were featured, as well as a tip-in from Moore.

The Yellow Jackets continued to control the contest, building a 15-point lead at 34-19 with around five minutes remaining in the first frame.

Abram delivered a show in the final minutes of the half, hauling in a defensive board before launching a three and then delivering a steal all within the three-minute mark. The sequence was part of a 9-0 scoring run for the Yellow Jackets that pushed WVSU to more than double their lead at 43-21.

A layup each from Moore and Jenkins and a pair of free throws from Abram widened the gap, sending State into the locker room with a 49-25 advantage at halftime.

Three consecutive jumpers from Jones opened the second half, pushing WVSU to a 55-31 mark with 16:40 left on the clock.

State continued to run the court, never relinquishing the lead and holding firm at 20+ points. Jenkins put on a show in the middle of the half, tallying eight points on a pair of threes and a layup that handed the Yellow Jackets a commanding 71-46 lead.

For the next minute the Bobcats controlled possession, attempting to trim the deficit with a 6-0 scoring run.

A pair of free throws from Abram allowed State to maintain its 20-point edge, adding cushion on a three from Abel Elias and two points from Jordan to set the score at 78-54 with just under five minutes of play remaining.

Wesleyan again attempted to threaten, registering eight consecutive points on a pair of threes and a jump shot and proceeding to record a 12-1 run over the final three minutes to cut State's lead to 13 at 79-66, but the Yellow Jackets added insurance in the final minute, finishing the contest 85-71.

Lewis finished with four rebounds, and Elias recorded a career-high six points off seven minutes of play.

UP NEXT
West Virginia State remains at home, welcoming Notre Dame College Wednesday for a 7:30 pm tip. Live stats and video will be available. The Falcons were narrowly edged out on the road by No. 23 Fairmont State 85-83 Saturday.