Cental, S.C. (Nov. 29, 2023)- Coming off an 88-86 win over Seton Hill the Virginia State University women's basketball team routed Southern Wesleyan University (S.C.) 76-63. 

To begin the first game VSU scored the first 12 points with five points coming from Mekayla Furman over the first four minutes forcing a SWU timeout. The warriors wouldn't score until the 4:43 minute mark then would add another 30 seconds later to make the score 14-4. The final four minutes was a defensive battle as the Trojans scored seven points and Southern Wesleyan scored three points ending the first quarter at 21-7. 

Over the first five minutes of the second quarter, the warriors scored 10 of the first 14 points to cut the deficit to single digits at 25-17. A three pointer from Mihjae Hayes got the Trojans lead back to double digits with just over five minutes left in the half. The Warriors would get the score to 31-25 with just 90 seconds left in the half after converting on back-to-back lay-ups and a pair of foul shots. Over that 90 seconds VSU would score the final five points, layups from Hayes and Kamani Jones and a foul shout from Trinity Moody, to make the halftime score 36-25. 

Southern Wesleyan got the score to 40-32 before the Trojans went on a 7-1 run from the 6:21-5:07 minute mark with three different players scoring during the quick run. The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair until the final one minute when SWU would score four points and Alexis Blake would hit a layup at the buzzer to make the score 52-44 going into the final 10 minutes. The third quarter was the second straight quarter where the Warriors outscored the Trojans by three points. 

The fourth period was in complete control of VSU as they outscored SWU nine to three over the opening three minutes with Amesha Miller scoring seven of the nine points to make the lead 61-47. The warriors would cut the deficit to 10 points, and it would stay around that margin for a majority of the quarter as VSU would secure the win 76-63. 

Miller was the leading scorer with 23 points. Ferman was next with an almost triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Cabria Lewis was the last Trojan in double figures with 12 points and seven rebounds. 

With the win VSU stays undefeated at 6-0 and Southern Wesleyan moves down to 2-5. The team stays on the road as they take on Barton College on Wednesday December 6 at 5 p.m.