PETERSBURG, Va.- The Virginia State men's basketball team after winning four straight games took a big lost to Bowie State Bulldogs in Daniel Gymnasium Wednesday night with a final score of 62-59.

Junior Larry Savage of the Virginia State Trojans led the team with 13 points and six rebounds. Savage's teammates, Lamar Kearse (Junior) and Allen Harris (Senior) both scored in the double digits as well. Kearse finished the night with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists while Harris secured 10 points, two assists and one rebounds. Juniors Kahlil Tate and Kevin Wiggins were able to pull down seven rebounds each.  These combined stats where not enough for the Trojans to beat the Bulldogs.

Despite the loss, Virginia State out-rebounded Bowie State, 41-33.  The Trojans also held the edge in second chance points 14-8, and steals 8-5.  Virginia State forced Bowie into 10 turnovers and was able to capitalize on points scoring 17.  However, the Bulldogs collected eight points from fast breaks.  
The first half Virginia State shot 43.8-percent from the field, while Bowie shot 50.0-percent. VSU held the edge in rebounding as the Trojans tallied 19 to the Bulldogs 14.  The first 20 minutes of action saw three ties and two lead changes.

A Kearse three point bucket at 5:39 tied the game at 26-all and sparked the Trojans for a four point lead before the Bulldogs called a 30 second timeout to regroup.  The Bulldogs registered eight points throughout the remainder of the half, but Virginia State kept them at bay as the Trojans took a 36-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Virginia State kept the lead for the first seven minutes of play before Bowie tied the game at 41.  The score from that point on switch back and forth tying seven more times.  Things got down to the wire with 1:34 on the clock and VSU down by two before Kearse hit a three-pointer to put the Trojans up by one.  Kearse then fouled Andre Jackson and he went to the line and hit his two free throws putting the Bulldogs up by one.  Virginia State calls a timeout with 1:15 left on the clock.  The ball is back in play and Grier (VSU) turns the ball over and Bowie calls a timeout.  With 20 seconds left in play, Andre Jackson missed a jump shot and Virginia State rebounds and timeouts are called back to back by both teams.  As the clock ticks down five seconds left in play Harris shoots a jump shot and miss, Bulldogs rebound and go down court for a lay-up and defeats the Trojans 62-59.

The men's basketball team currently has an 11-8 overall record. They will be traveling to Lincoln, Pa. to take on the Lincoln University Lions on Saturday, February 1 at 4:00pm.