By: FVSU Office of Sports Information
After dual losses on Saturday (February 12th) against Albany State University, the Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Basketball Program continued its road swing tonight with a trip to Augusta, Ga. for a conference match up against the Lions of Paine College. With renovations to Paine's legendary Carter Gymnasium underway, the teams met at the T.W. Josey High School, just blocks from the Paine campus. Tonight's meeting was the second between the schools this season. Both Wildcat teams were winners against the Lions on January 14th on the FVSU campus.
Lady Wildcats Basketball (Lady Wildcats 67, Lady Lions 55)
The Lady Wildcats wasted little time in establishing a lead against the Lady Lions, A game-opening 9-0 scoring run provided an early cushion for FVSU. With 9:42 left, the Lady Wildcat lead was up to 14 points, 20-6. Back-to-back lay ups by Whitney Bryant gave FVSU a 28-15 lead with 4:29 remaining in the half. At halftime, the Lady Wildcats led by 11 points, 32-11.
FVSU shot 39% from the floor in the first half, converting 13 of 33 field goal attempts. The Lady Lions were seven of 31 (23%) in shooting in the first half. Yasheeka Jones led the Lady Wildcats in first half scoring with nine points.
A 6-1 Lady Lions scoring run to start the second half cut the FVSU lead to 33-27. The Lady Lions scoring run was answered by a KaDeidra Freeland three-point bucket, followed by a Lady Wildcats steal and lay up by Kendra Evans to take the FVSU lead to 39-27. With 15 minutes left, the Lady Lions had whittled the FVSU lead to just three points, 38-35. At the 8:13 mark, the Lady Wildcats led by two, 47-45.
After a 7-0 scoring run and with 5:12 left, the Lady Wildcats held a 54-45 lead. With 3:38 remaining, the lead grew to 61-47. FVSU would hold on to claim a 67-55 win.
The Lady Wildcat win takes them to 16-9 overall and more significantly to 14-5 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play. A loss earlier today by Albany State University now puts the Lady Wildcats back into a tie with the Lady Rams for first place in the SIAC.
Yasheeka Jones was the game's leading scorer with 21 points. The Lady Wildcats also got double figure scoring from Brandi Jones and Jasmine Birdsong who had 12 points each. As a team, the Lady Wildcats shot 39% from the floor (26 of 67) and a total of 48 rebounds.
The road trip continues for the Lady Wildcats on Thursday night (Feb. 17th) from Columbia, SC when they take on the Lady Tigers of Benedict College. Tip-off time is 5:30 p.m.
Wildcats Basketball (Wildcats 74, Lion 71)
The start of tonight's game found the Wildcats trying to overcome a two-game losing streak. With a win earlier in the season against the Lions, a repeat performance by the Wildcats in tonight's game could prove to be a momentum builder for FVSU as teams start to look ahead to the SIAC Tournament in early March.
The game's early action tilted toward the Wildcats. Taking an 8-4 lead, the Wildcats appeared poised to quiet the partisan crowd. With 7:40 left in the half, the four point lead held at 19-15.
The game was tied at 21 points with 6:15 left. At 4:27 remaining, the teams were still tied; this time 25 points each. That changed after an 8-2 scoring run by the Lions gave them a 33-27 lead and forced a Wildcat time out with 2:39 remaining. The Lions would ride that momentum into the intermission and take a 41-32 lead into the locker room.
In the game's first 20 minutes, the Wildcats converted nine of 26 field goal attempts (35%) while the Lions shot 45% from the floor (14 of 31).
Jeremy Sledge got things started in the second half with a three point jump shot to cut the Lion lead to 41-35. That was followed by penetration and a lay up by Martavius Orr to cut the lead even further, 41-37. After a Lion basket, Sledge nailed jump shot followed by a Brandon Davey jumper and the deficit was just two points, 43-41. After a steal by Orr, Detrius McCall got free for a lay up and the game was tied at 43 points each.
With 15:09 left, Sledge canned another three-pointer from the left corner and FVSU led 46-43. With 12:16 left, the Wildcats extended their lead to 54-48 after a Davey lay up which forced a Lion time out.
With 8:51 left, the game was tied once again (57-57). Davey rattled a jump shot with 8:21 left to put the Wildcats up 59-57. After a miss on the Lion end of the floor, LaRon Shaw got free under the basket for a lay up and was fouled. He converted both and FVSU now led 62-57.
With less than four minutes left in the game, FVSU clung to a 67-65 lead. The Lions tied the game at 67 points each with 3:09 remaining and took a 69-67 lead after a Wildcat foul and two Lion free throws. With 1:26 left, Shaw hit two free throws and FVSU was on top 70-69. With :39 left, Orr made an assist pass to Shaw who converted the lay up and the FVSU lead was up to 72-69. The Lions got a basket with nine seconds left to make it a 72-71 game.
The game hinged on the Wildcat possession after a time out. Shaw was fouled on the inbound play and went to the line for two free throws. He sank them both and FVSU came away with 74-71 win.
The win snapped the two-game losing steak and takes the Wildcats to 8-17 overall and 8-13 in conference play.
Reservist LaRon Shaw led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points. Orr finished 14 points and Sledge contributed 13 points.
The Wildcats are back in action on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Columbia, SC where they will meet the Tigers of Benedict College.
-Wildcats Athletics-
