Fayetteville, NC (Dec 9, 2023)- The Virginia State University men's basketball team traveled to Fayetteville State for a non-conference game against conference opponents. The teams last played a week ago with the Broncos emerging victorious 72-62. This matchup saw the Trojans also lose this game 76-71. 

In the opening four minute the Trojans game plan was to deed the big man Tyrek Williams as he scored all six opening points. Tremere Brown replaced Williams at the 16-minute mark, but the game plan did not change as he scored four points to give VSU a 10-6 lead with 15:12 remaining. 

Fayetteville state retook the lead after an NBA range three pointer, but Christopher Hill answered with his own deep three pointer making it 17-15. Going into the second media timeout The Trojans held a slight one-point advantage 19-18. Over the next five-minutes FSU would score nine points to VSU six giving them a 29-25 lead with four minutes and 44 seconds remaining in the first half. 

Over the final four minutes the teams played a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to make a run as the Broncos took a 38-35 lead after the first 20 minutes. After the first two minutes of the second half a Chris Hampton three and Kendall Bynum layup tied the game at 40. Imhotep George hit a three pointer at 16:47 to give VSU their first lead since it was 25-24 late in the first half. 

At the 12-minute mark FSU retook the lead after a pair of free throws to make the score 48-47. The Broncos would eventually grow the lead to 55-49 after a corner three with just under nine minutes remaining. With 7:14 left in the game Fayetteville State was able to make their lead double figures 60-49. 

With five and a half minutes left Hampton hit a three pointer to cut the lead to single digits, then George would hit his second three-pointer to make the score 64-58. Bynum would then hit the third straight three pointers for the Trojans to cut it to a one possession game at 64-61. Brown would cut the deficit back to two with a layup, with just 1:26 making it 71-69. However, the Broncos would make their foul shots and would close out the contest at 76-71. 

Hampton led the team with 14 points and both George and Brown both collected 12 points. Bynum was the last Trojan in double figures with 11 points. Brown also was two rebounds short of recording a double-double. 

With the loss VSU moves to 3-5 and FSU improves to 4-5 on the season. The Trojans will welcome Shaw into the MPC December 12 before leaving for the YES HBCU Classic in the Virgin Islands.