Virginia State Holds Off Winston-Salem for the Win

Ettrick, VA- Virginia State secured a hard-fought 74-68 victory over Winston-Salem in a mid-season CIAA matchup. Despite a strong second-half performance from Winston-Salem, Virginia State's efficiency in the first half and solid free-throw shooting late in the game helped them hold onto the lead and improve to 11-4 overall, 5-0 in the CIAA. Winston-Salem, on the other hand, fell to 2-10 on the season and 0-3 in conference play.
 

Virginia State came out strong in the first half, shooting 46.43% from the field (13-28) and a near-perfect 9-10 from the free-throw line. Jacob Cooper led the charge for Virginia State with 18 points, including 10-12 from the charity stripe, while Daryl Mackey Jr. added 13 points. The team's strong shooting and rebounding effort, particularly in the paint, helped them establish a 38-27 lead at halftime.

Winston-Salem struggled with their shooting, making only 9 of 24 shots (37.5%) in the first half. Tyre Boykin was the primary offensive threat, scoring 10 points, and Micah Jones contributed 7 points, though they shot just 1-6 from three-point range. Despite the shooting difficulties, Winston-Salem stayed in the game with solid free-throw shooting (8-11), which helped them stay within striking distance.
 

Winston-Salem came out with renewed energy in the second half, improving their shooting to 56% (14-25) from the field. Boykin led the way, finishing with a team-high 21 points, and Jones added 18 points, including a perfect 7-7 from the free-throw line. Winston-Salem's free-throw shooting remained strong throughout the game, finishing 20-24 (83.3%).

However, Virginia State continued to keep pace with timely scoring. Despite a second-half shooting slump (42.9% from the field), they were able to maintain their lead thanks to efficient free-throw shooting (11-14) and strong defense. Cooper continued to contribute with free throws, while Clint Wright Jr. (10 points) and Daryl Mackey Jr. (13 points) helped shoulder the scoring load.

Virginia State's first-half performance, combined with their efficient free-throw shooting down the stretch, allowed them to hold off a strong second-half push from Winston-Salem.