SALEM, W.Va. – West Virginia State University used a dominant second-half performance to secure a 107-75 victory over Salem University on Saturday at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.
West Virginia State (12-11) set the tone early, responding to an initial Salem surge with a 16-0 run midway through the first half. Jae Slack led the Yellow Jackets with a career-high 40 points, the most scored by a WVSU player since Pat Johnson-Agwu tallied 41 against Notre Dame College on Jan. 30, 2019. Slack shot 15-for-24 from the field and connected on five three-pointers to fuel the Yellow Jackets' offensive explosion.
Salem opened the game aggressively, taking a 10-2 lead within the first five minutes. Tyree Davis scored four early points, and Isaac James added a jumper to help the Tigers build momentum. West Virginia State responded with a defensive adjustment that forced multiple turnovers and ignited its transition game. Jae Slack sparked the offense with a fast-break three-pointer, and Kenyon Giles followed with a layup to trim the deficit. Arthur Cox and Slack combined for 12 points during a crucial 16-0 run that flipped the game's momentum.
Salem tried to regroup with a timeout, but WVSU's relentless pressure continued. The Yellow Jackets dominated the boards in the first half, collecting 15 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points. Miguel Martinez controlled the glass with four offensive boards, and Cox consistently converted around the rim. West Virginia State closed the half on a 9-0 run, capped by a Cox layup in the final minute to take a 45-27 lead into the break.
West Virginia State continued to press its advantage early in the second half. Slack scored five quick points, including a fast-break layup and a deep three-pointer, to extend the lead to 20. Salem briefly cut the deficit to 18 on a layup by Kevin Constant, but the Yellow Jackets answered with a barrage of three-pointers. Giles knocked down a corner three, and Slack followed with back-to-back long-range shots to put the game out of reach.
The Yellow Jackets' defense remained stifling, forcing nine second-half turnovers and converting them into 11 points. Cox added a key block on a Salem layup attempt, leading to a fast-break bucket by Giles. Aymeric Toussaint contributed with strong interior play, scoring seven points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Martinez added a second-chance layup and a three-pointer to keep the offense rolling.
In the final five minutes, West Virginia State emptied its bench. Freshman Jacob Rice knocked down a three-pointer, and Aboubacar Cisse provided a highlight-reel dunk to put an exclamation mark on the victory. The Yellow Jackets outscored Salem 62-48 in the second half, shooting 55.6% from the field and hitting eight three-pointers.
Despite the lopsided score, Salem's Daquan Coleman led his team with 19 points, including three three-pointers. Kevin Constant contributed 14 points and five rebounds, while Tyree Davis added 12 points and six rebounds. However, the Tigers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 17.6% on 34 attempts.
West Virginia State held a decisive 54-41 edge in rebounds, including 19 offensive boards that led to 29 second-chance points. The Yellow Jackets also forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 20 points.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 18 when the Davis & Elkins Senators come to the Walker Convocation Center. WVSU fell to D&E 80-79 on Jan. 15 in Elkins earlier this season.
