Boca Raton, Fla. (Nov. 20, 2023)- The Virginia State University women's basketball team defeated Lynn University 63-57, in the first ever match-up between the teams. This was the third game in four days for the Trojans. 

To open the first quarter Lynn would score the first seven points as it took three minutes for VSU to see the ball go through the net with a Cabria Lewis second chance jumper. That jumper sparked a run for the Trojans as they would outscore the Fighting Knights eight to zero with 4:56 remaining in the opening period.  Over that final stretch of the first neither team could gain much separation as 12-11 was the score, with VSU holding a one-point advantage. 

The second quarter was a defensive battle as in the first six minutes VSU scored four points while Lynn produced five points for a 16-16 tie. Amesha Miller and Mihjae Hayes were responsible for the Trojans points. Virginia State would go into halftime with a 24-20 lead, as they forced Lynn into 13 first half turnovers. Just before halftime Lewis hit the first three pointer for the Trojans in the first 20 minutes. 

It only took 90 seconds for Lynn to retie the game at 24 all in the third stanza. However, VSU would get their largest lead to this point, of seven points, 34-27, at the six-minute mark when Mekayla Furman was able to convert an and-one opportunity. As before the quarter was over Virginia State would get their lead to double digits (39-29) after. Furman jumper at the 3:05 mark. To end the third quarter the score would read 43-35 advantage VSU. 

The final quarter VSU managed to hold on to the lead at 9–11-point mark. It seemed whenever Lynn would find a basket, the Trojans would find an answer to make them play back-and-forth game. Eventually Tiyanna James would hit her third three pointer to make the score 55-41 with just under five minutes remaining. The Knights managed to get the deficit to single digits with 2:06 remaining in the game after converting and and-one and sinking one foul shot to make the score 58-50. However, the Trojans managed to hold on to win the game 63-57. 

James was one of four Trojans to score double figures with 17 points. Lewis, Hayes and Miller all contributed 11 points. Miller also pulled down nine rebounds, dished out four assists and had four blocks and steals. 

With the win VSU moves to 4-0 on the season, while Lynn drops its first game of the early season 2-1. The Trojans return home on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. against Seton Hill University.