Pembroke, N.C. (Nov. 25, 2023)- The Virginia State University men's basketball team played a tight contest against UNC Pembroke in game one of the Give Thanks Tournament but dropped the matchup 70-68.
Both teams would get to double digits (10-10) eight minutes into the game. Tremere Brown would carry the offensive load for the Trojans with eight points in the opening eight minutes. Over the next three minutes VSU would score 12 straight points, with Chris Hampton producing five points and Jared Clawson scoring four.
From the 9:02 minute mark to the 4:56 minute mark UNCP went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 24 all after hitting a corner three pointer. The Braves would hit a buzzer beater to go into the break, up by four, 32-28.
In the first four minutes of the second half VSU managed to cut the deficit by one point at 39-36 with Tyreek Williams responsible for the last five Trojan points. Back-to-back jumpers by Chris Hampton and Tremere Brown got VSU within one point, 47-46, with just under 11 minutes remaining. A Hampton lay-up at the 8:29 mark gave VSU their first lead of the second half 50-49 and the first lead since it was 24-21 at the 5:42 mark in the first half.
With five and a half minutes remaining in the game VSU held a two-point advantage, 55-54 before Stephan Morris lay-up and a Clawson jump shot gave the Trojans some breathing room at 59-54. However, the braves continued to fight back and regained the lead 63-61 after a corner three with just a minute and 35 seconds left. With UNCP up 66-63, Kendall Bynum came down the court and hit a lay-up to get Virginia State back within one with 18 seconds remaining. Bynum converted a three-point play to tie the game at 68 with 12 seconds remaining. UNCP hit a buzzer beater lay-up by JaJuan Carr gave the braves the win 70-68.
Clawson and Brown led the team with 14 points each, Hampton was the other Trojan in double figures with 10. VSU now drops to 1-3 on the season while UNCP improves to 4-3. The team plays tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Chowan University.
