In a critical CIAA North doubleheader, the Virginia State Trojans and Bluefield State Big Blue traded wins in a pair of results that make a tremendous impact in the conference standings.
The Bluefield State women got the tilt started, engaging in a defensive battle with the Lady Trojans that ended with them coming away with a 91-87 victory.
This marks the first road win for the Big Blue against Virginia State, also improving to 6-4 in conference play to enter a tie with Virginia Union in the Northern division.
On the other hand, Virginia State snaps a four-game win streak with this loss, with its division lead trimmed to a game, dropping to 7-3 against the CIAA.
Jasmine Jenkins led the Big Blue with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53% from the field, and adding four steals.
Michelle McGee came off the bench to also score 19 points on 70% shooting, in addition to four rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
Virginia State was led by Kendahl Spearman, who scored a team-high 27 points on 57% shooting, snatching four steals. Sydney Roberts contributed 22 points and six steals.
Bluefield State took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Virginia State 34-18, including 18 points on 10 turnovers (nine steals).
After having the deficit pushed to 18 points, the Lady Trojans would get themselves back into the game with a 10-0 run over the next two minutes.
They would eventually trim the deficit to two in the final seconds, but Bluefield State sealed the win at the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, the defending CIAA champion Trojans kept their hopes of a division title alive following a dramatic 60-59 win over the Big Blue.
The win improves Virginia State’s conference record to 7-3, tying them for second place in the CIAA North with Bluefield State.
In contrast, Bluefield State’s four-game win streak was snapped as a result of the loss.
Jacob Cooper paced Virginia State with 17 points and five assists, while Davian Coleman chipped in 13 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the field, adding six rebounds and three blocks.
Bluefield State’s Myles Pierre led all scorers with 18 points, six rebounds, and two steals, followed by 15 points and four assists from Ellija Preddy.
In a game defined by scoring runs, Bluefield State drew first blood, outscoring Virginia State 18-6 in the game’s first 12 minutes.
However, a seven-point scoring run by Cooper helped the Trojans put themselves in front, eventually taking a nine-point lead at halftime.
While Bluefield State would battle back in the second half, taking the lead back in the final three minutes, missed free throws down the stretch prevented the Big Blue from completing the comeback.
