BALTIMORE, MD - The second-seeded Lincoln (PA) Lions (19-8) heated up when it counted to take a 78-57 win over the seventh-seeded Virginia State Trojans (12-16) in the Quarterfinals of the 2023 CIAA Tournament. While tough defense dominated the early portion of the game, the Lions heated up in the fourth quarter to pull away with the win.

Virginia State was carried by a terrific individual effort by senior guard and all-conference player Sommer Blakemore, who was the only Trojan to reach double-digit scoring with 24 points in the game. Junior forward Kamani Jones led the VSU rebounding effort with 10 boards. Jones nearly pulled off the double-double with nine points as well.

Though the Trojans were the lower seed, they jumped out early to take control of the game with an 11-5 lead after a pair of free throws from Kamani Jones with 2:59 left in the first quarter. The Lions would answer in the second quarter, however, as a three-pointer gave the Lions a 23-19 lead with 3:54 left in the second quarter. Lincoln (PA) would carry their lead into the final minutes, but a late VSU surge left the Trojans on top, 28-27 at halftime.

As the game wound down in the second half, the Lions pulled away late to claim the win. The run began late in the third quarter with just under a minute left and Virginia State clinging to a 42-41 lead. Lincoln (PA) closed the quarter on a seven-point run to take a 48-42 lead into the fourth quarter. From there, the Lions continued to pull away in the fourth quarter, going ahead by as many as 21 points to finish the 78-57 win.