ORANGEBURG, SC (February 5, 2020) - The Virginia State University men's basketball team outlasted the Panthers of the Claflin University with an 87-81 non-conference road victory.

The win moves the Trojans to a 16-7 overall record, 9-2 in the conference.

The Game

Not wasting any time putting VSU on the board, Lual Daniel Rahama secured a shot from behind the arc, seconds into the game. The Trojans continued to thrive off of the opening momentum, but Claflin quickly bounced back to close the scoring gap. The score tied numerous times prior to Ryan Jones landing a 3-pointer to give the Trojans a 30-19 double-figure lead.

The game quickly took a different turn as Claflin closed the gap, tied the game and took the lead.

At the end of the first half, VSU trailed by two, 38-36.

VSU worked to lock in their victory after halftime, scoring 56 points in the second half.

Bouncing back with free throws to take the initial lead, Walter Williams kicked the Trojans game into high gear with consecutive shots from behind the arc, giving VSU a 49-40 lead.

Despite the Panthers attempt to close the scoring gap, VSU kept the home team at a distance for the remainder of the contest.

Their efforts paid off as VSU went on the take the 87-81 road win over Claflin.

Leaders

The Trojans had six players to make an effort toward their victory, scoring in double-figures. Armond Griebe led the charge for VSU with 19 points. Lual Daniel Rahama and Walter Williams were evenly matched with 13 points, while Andrew Corum was not too far behind with 12 points. Rounding out the top scoring for the Trojans were Ryan Jones and William Vedder with 11 points each. Corum stepped in to control the Trojans recoveries with 9 rebounds.

Up Next

The VSU men's basketball team will return home to face the Bulldogs of Bowe State University for the "Sock it to the Bulldogs" divisional matchup on February 10. Tipoff is set for 7:30pm at the VSU Multipurpose Center.

Stay Connected

For the most up-to-date information on VSU men's basketball, please visit www.govsutrojans.com, follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports and on Instagram VSUtrojans_1882.