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West Virginia State University Athletics

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MBB2324 Martinez
Photo: Todd Griffith
75
St. Augustine's SAU 3-2 (0-0 CIAA)
82
Winner West Virginia St. WVSU 2-3 (0-2 MEC)
St. Augustine's SAU
3-2 (0-0 CIAA)
75
Final
82
West Virginia St. WVSU
2-3 (0-2 MEC)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
St. Augustine's SAU 32 43 75
West Virginia St. WVSU 37 45 82

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | James Garcia, Sports Information Director

State overcomes St. Augustine's in physical contest

INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State men's basketball (2-3, 0-2 MEC) came out on top against St. Augustine's (3-2) by a final score of 82-75 on Saturday afternoon at the Walker Convocation Center. The Yellow Jackets were fouled 31 times by SAU but kept their cool to come away with a much-needed victory.

Miguel Martinez was the game's leading scorer with 19 points. He connected on 4-of-9 shots from behind the arc. Four other Yellow Jackets scored in double-figures, including Mahzi Thames (15 points), Nate Mims (13 points), Arthur Cox (11 points) and Anthony Pittman (11 points).

The Yellow Jackets dominated in the opening five minutes of the contest to go up 13-2. Mims and Thames each knocked down a three-pointer to help extend the early lead.

The Falcons then chipped away at the lead over the ensuing eight-and-a-half minutes with a 17-5 run. SAU's Nemo Johnson gave his team the lead for the first time, 19-18, at the end of the run with a dunk.

Five-point swings were traded by the teams next to leave St. Augustine's with its last lead of the contest, 24-23, with about five minutes to go in the first half.

WVSU pulled away with 11 unanswered points over the following two-and-a-half minutes. Thames bookended the stretch with a jumper at the beginning and a pair of converted free throws at the end.

In the remainder of the first half, the Falcons cut State's 10-point lead in half, 37-32, with an 8-3 run. Mims kept them from getting too close by draining another three.

The Yellow Jackets kept St. Augustine's at bay in the second half despite a relentless effort from the Falcons. WVSU went up by as much as 16 points, 67-51, approximately halfway through the second stanza.

During the last 10 minutes of the game, SAU orchestrated an 18-4 run to make State sweat. The Falcons ended up within two points, 75-73, of tying the score with less than two minutes to go.

Nevertheless, Cox ensured that the Yellow Jackets stayed on top down the final stretch. He made a layup to make it a two-possession game, 77-73, before being sent to the charity stripe twice and making all four free throws. 

St. Augustine's banked one more layup with 20 seconds left before Bunky Brown made a single free throw to give the game its final score, 82-75.

State made 30-of-42 free throw attempts (72 percent), shot 42 percent from the floor and 38 percent from three-point range on the way to snapping a three-game skid.

The Yellow Jackets will travel to Fairmont State for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Nov. 29 next.
 
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