Box Score


The CIAA defending champions, Virginia State University Trojans, end their season with a hard fought loss to the Rams of Winston-Salem State University, in today's first round of the CIAA Basketball Tournament 44-50 at Time Warner Cable Arena. VSU finishes the 2015-16 season with a record of 12-15.


"They're a great defensive team, said Rams head coach, A.G. Hall, Coach Hill is a champion, he is not going to have his team unprepared".


Neither team shot well in the first half. The Trojans shot 24.5 percent (13-53) from the field, 22.2 percent (4-18) from behind the arc, and 73.3 percent (14-19) at the line. Senior Forward Wynterra Pittman (Graceville, FL) led the scoring for both teams recording 13 points. Sophomore Stephanie Brown (Philadelphia, PA) led the Trojans defensive effort recording 5 rebounds.


Both teams looked to establish an offensive flow and defensive presence in the first quarter with the score tied at 11. At the end of the first half the defensive battle continued and was evident in the 22-22 halftime score. The Trojans and Rams each shared equal scoring in 3 of 4 quarters; however, the Rams outscored the Trojans 14-8 in the third quarter. The Trojans answered in the fourth quarter with a 9-1 run, which was not enough to put VSU in the driver's seat. 


VSU struggled with foul trouble this evening which forced Hill to go to his bench earlier in the game. Pittman picked up three fouls in the first half and her fourth foul with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The Trojans risked further foul trouble as Junior Joy Hickman (Wilmington, DE) picked up her fifth foul. WSSU's bench outscored VSU's bench 22-15. With 48.6 seconds remaining in the game Pittman knocked down a shot giving the Trojans a 44-43 lead. With only seconds left in regulation, WSSU Jatzmin Johnson knocks down a crucial shot from behind the arc giving the Rams a 46-44 lead with 35.7 seconds left in the game. The game ended with 12 lead changes and 6 ties.
 

"When we gave up that 3, it took a little air out of us; however, the team played until the end. I told my team I love them and they have done a great job for me. We'll be back, write that down, we will be back next year," said Head Coach James Hill Jr.