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West Virginia State University Athletics

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MBB2324 Mims
Photo: Todd Griffith
80
Winner West Virginia State Wes
60
Fort Lauderdale For
Winner
West Virginia State Wes
80
Final
60
Fort Lauderdale For
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
West Virginia State Wes 42 38 80
Fort Lauderdale For 29 31 60
82
West Virginia State Wes
84
Winner Bloomfield Blo
West Virginia State Wes
82
Final
84
Bloomfield Blo
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
West Virginia State Wes 42 40 82
Bloomfield Blo 44 40 84

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

State cruises past Fort Lauderdale before a semifinal exit against Bloomfield

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – The West Virginia State University men's basketball team (6-5, 3-3 MEC) returned to the YES USVI Classic to defend its title in 2023, but did not get the chance to after exiting the tournament in the semifinals. The Yellow Jackets rolled on the University of Fort Lauderdale, 80-60, before they were clipped by Bloomfield College, 84-82.

Opening Round: West Virginia State 80, Fort Lauderdale 60

State was paired with Fort Lauderdale (4-4) in the opening round of the tournament on Friday. The game was really only close in the first three minutes. The Eagles came within one point of tying the score, 5-4, with a layup towards the end of the opening three minutes. The Yellow Jackets then scored 10 unanswered points to go up by 11, 15-4, with just under 16 minutes remaining in the first half. Miguel Martinez and Arthur Cox contributed four points each during the stretch.

After increasing their lead to double-digits early on, the Yellow Jackets kept Fort Lauderdale at a distance for the remainder of the opening half. The Eagles cut the deficit to seven points once at the five-minute mark, but came no closer. Over the next minute, State extended its lead to 15 points, 37-22, by dropping eight unanswered on Fort Lauderdale. Bunky Brown contributed four points to the spurt by completing a three-point play and sinking a single free throw. A jumper made by the Eagles in the closing seconds of the first half left WVSU with a 13-point lead, 42-29, at halftime.

In the second half, State's lead never dropped below double-figures. A pair of three-pointers from Nate Mims late in the contest pushed the Yellow Jackets lead over 20 points, 74-53, for the first time. They were then able to close out the game with one of their largest margins of victory this season.

Anthony Pittman (19 points), Miguel Martinez (15 points) and Arthur Cox (11 points) led the scoring effort for WVSU.

Semifinals: Bloomfield 84, West Virginia State 82

State advanced to the semifinals on Saturday after cruising past Fort Lauderdale and was matched up with Bloomfield (6-4). Unlike the opening round game, the semifinal clash between the Yellow Jackets and Bears was close until the very end.

WVSU scored nine unanswered points to begin the contest and extended its lead to 10 points, 12-2, after Cox drained a shot from behind the arc with 17:24 showing on the clock. The gap was quickly closed over the next two minutes with Bloomfield being able to gain a slight edge, 13-12, after hitting a jumper in the paint with just under 15 minutes until halftime.

The Bears gained the momentum afterwards and played with the lead for the majority of the remainder of the first half. They led by as much as eight points around the eight-minute mark, but the Yellow Jackets never let the game get away from them. With 2:40 to go, Mims hit a trey to tie the score at 38-apiece. A trading of baskets ensued with Bloomfield making the last one of the opening half to go into halftime up by two points, 44-42.

The Bears maintained their lead through the initial 10 minutes of the second half. The lead then changed when Mims knocked down a jumper to put his team up by one, 65-64, with 9:32 left to play. The Yellow Jackets held onto the lead for the next eight minutes. State's lead unraveled when Bloomfield scored eight unanswered points late to go up by three, 83-80, with 22 seconds to play.

Mahzi Thames made a floater to cut the deficit to one point, 83-82, in the closing seconds. WVSU was forced to foul on the inbound pass that followed. One foul shot was made before the other rimmed out and left five seconds for the Yellow Jackets to chuck up a last-ditch shot that missed the mark.

Anthony Pittman was State's leading scorer once again with 24 points. Four other Yellow Jackets scored in double-digits including Kalil Camara (14 points), Mahzi Thames (12 points), Mate Mims (11 points) and Arthur Cox (10 points).

Next Up

WVSU will travel to Notre Dame College on Wednesday, Jan. 10 for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off next.
 
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