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Virginia State University Athletics

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Chris Waugaman/Mass Communications
99
Winner Virginia State Univ. VSU-M 3-0,0-0 CIAA
95
Mount Olive UMO 0-2,0-0 Conferen
Winner
Virginia State Univ. VSU-M
3-0,0-0 CIAA
99
Final
95
Mount Olive UMO
0-2,0-0 Conferen
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Virginia State Univ. VSU-M 45 54 99
Mount Olive UMO 50 45 95

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Career-high 31 points from Fitzgerald lift Trojans over UMO 99-95

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – After a late 7-0 run, the Virginia State men's basketball team edged the University of Mount Olive in a 99-95 victory late Friday evening moving VSU to 3-0.
 
Francis Fitzgerald became the first player to have a 30-point game since the 2015-2016 season when Javon Moore scored 30 points against Livingstone on February 27, 2016. Fitzgerald was 8-of-14 from the field along with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and only one turnover in the contest. Fitzgerald had highest free throw percentage in recent history going 13-14 (93%) from the charity stripe. The 14 free throw attempts was also the most a VSU men's basketball player had shot since the 2018-2019 season when Jahmere Howze shot 16 free throws against Bowie State on January 30, 2019.
 
Terrence Hunter-Whitfield made his presence felt scoring 21 points off the bench going 7-of-10 from the field while hitting 7-of-7 free throws. Antwan Miles scored 15 points shooting at a 46% clip along with a game-high seven rebounds. Caleb Butts also got in the mix adding nine to the VSU point total.
 
Fans of both teams left entertained as the matchup saw 20 lead changes and 12 ties. Virginia State shot the most free throws in a game (41) since the 2015-2016 season when the squad shot 47 free throws against Bowie State on February 26, 2016. The Trojans were able to earn the rebounding edge in the contest grabbing 31 boards. Despite being down at the half, VSU held Mt. Olive to a 42% field goal percentage headed into the locker room. Virginia State was also a season-high 83% from the free throw line while also accounting for six steals in the contest.
 
 
How It Happened
 
  • After VSU got out to an early 6-3 lead, UMO would wake up and go on a 7-0 run to give them the lead 10-6 with 15:40 left to go in the first half.
 
  • Midway through the first half, the Trojans found a spark going on a 10-3 run headlined by five points from Antwan Miles. The two squads traded baskets heading in the media timeout with the score at 23-21 in favor of VSU.
 
  • Francis Fitzgerald came out of the media timeout on fire offensively accounting for seven of the teams 11 points to bring the score to 33 all headed into the final media timeout of the half with 4:01 left to go.  
 
  • There were five leads changes in the final four minutes of the half prior to UMO going on a 7-2 run to end the half with the hosts in front 50-45.
 
  • While the Trojans were able to hold UMO to just 42% from the field in the first half, they allowed Mt. Olive to make 46% of their shots from beyond the arc going 7-of-15. Offensively, the Trojans made 45% of their shots from the field while also hitting 78% of their free throws.
 
  • After the halftime break, UMO picked up from where they left off extending their lead to 13 points in the beginning of the second half. The Trojans were able to keep up with UMO, as they were able to cut the lead to eight point with 16:02 left to go in the game.
 
  • Caleb Butts and Terrence Hunter-Whitfield assisted the Trojans in mounting their comeback as the two combined for eight points in the 10-0 scoring run to bring the score to 63-61 with 11:56 left in the game.
 
  • The back-and-fourth scoring would continue until the two teams were deadlocked at 78 with 6:45 left in the game.
 
  • Three leads changes and two ties later, Jordan Hernandez came up with a momentum-shifting dunk to give the Trojans the lead 84-82.
 
  • Francis Fitzgerald scored the final nine points of the game for the Trojans as he lifted his team to 99-95 victory.
 
 
Inside the Box Score
 
  • Francis Fitzgerald scored a career-high 31 points.
 
  •  VSU shot over 50% from the field in all three game this season.
 
  • Virginia State shot 41 free throws while UMO shot 26.
 
  • 16 of VSU's points came off the mistakes of UMO while 27 points came by way of fast breaks.
 
  • The lead changed 20 times and was knotted up 12 times.
 
  • The Trojans held Mt. Olive to just 25% from three-point range in the second half.
 
  • Virginia State drew 27 fouls in the evening contest.
 
 
Up Next
 
Virginia State will take on Barton College to conclude their participation in the Mt.Olive Pickle Classic on the campus of the University of Mount Olive. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 20.
 
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