ETTRICK, VA – The Virginia State University women's basketball team is now .500 at 5-5 after beating Wilmington University (Del.) 85-52 Tuesday evening. The Trojans are 4-1 in their last five games and 4-3 inside the VSU Multipurpose center. VSU's 85 points set a new season-high for the squad.
 
Natalia Leaks stuffed the stat sheet as she came close to a triple-double with a game-high 20 points, nine rebounds and seven steals along with six assists. Leaks went 100% from the free throw line in three games this year as she went 4-of-4 from the foul line last night. Sommer Blakemore earned a season-high six steals along with 16 points. Blakemore also tied her season-high in assists with seven. Kaaliya Williams ended with 12 points along with five rebounds. Bailee White added a personal best eight rebounds in the contest. Shayla Sweeney led the bench mob with a season-high 13 points along with five rebounds and a steal. J'Auana Robinson went 5-of-8 from the field with 10 points. The Trojans attained 18 steals and scored 37 points off turnovers. VSU bench scored 30 points compared to WU's five. For the sixth time this season the Trojans forced 30+ turnovers as VSU forced 31 Wildcat turnovers in last night's matchup. Virginia State won the rebound battle 45-33 while grabbing 19 offensive boards.
 
 
How It Happened

• While the Wildcats were able to get on board fist, the Trojans went on a 14-0 scoring run to open the game that made the score 16-2 with 6:38 left in the first quarter.

 

• After the huge run early in the first quarter, the Trojans would only outscore the Wildcats 10-7 throughout the remainder of the quarter which made the score 26-9.

 

• Midway through the second quarter, the Wildcats were able to string some buckets together to bring the Trojan lead to 16 at 35-19.

 

• The first half would end with the Trojans taking a 20-point lead into the locker room with the score being 41-21.

 
 

• Sommer Blakemore led the game with 11 first half points while shooting 4-of-8 from the field along with a game-high four steals and three assists. Kaaliya Williams contributed 10 points behind an efficient 4-of-6 field goal percentage with four rebounds and a steal. Shayla Sweeney and J'Auana Robinson combined for all nine of the bench's points. The Trojans accounted for eight first half steals while forcing 16 turnovers. VSU was able to knock down 50% of their shots from the field in the first half while holding WU to 32%. The Trojans won the rebound battle 23-12 with seven offensive rebounds.

 
 

• To start the second half, Natalia Leaks was able to score the first six points for the Trojans while also accounting for a steal that turned into two points for Blakemore with 7:14 left in the third quarter.

 

• A pair of 5-0 scoring runs would help the Trojans push their lead out to 66-38 to conclude the third quarter.

 

• The Trojans would score eight unanswered points to start the fourth quarter, as the Wildcats could not take the lid off the rim for four minutes.

 

• A Kamryn Anthony three-pointer was the last points for the Trojans while the Wildcats scored six unanswered points to end the contest with the score at 85-52.

 
 
Inside the Box Score

• The Trojans were 100% from the foul line in the first and fourth quarters.

 
 

• Natalia Leaks accounted for six second half steals while the team accounted for 10.

 
 

• Virginia State turned their 19 offensive rebounds into 19 second chance points.

 
 

•   VSU did damage in-transition scoring 14 fast break points.

 
 
 
Up Next
Virginia State will be right back in the VSU Multipurpose center for their eighth-straight home game against the Broncos of Fayetteville State University in a doubleheader Saturday, December 18. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m.