FORT VALLEY, GA (December 7, 2015) – The Fort Valley State University Wildcats (2-5; 0-2) basketball team picked up their second win of the season with an 81-66 victory over Carver College Cougars (7-15) Monday night at the HPE Complex on campus.
 
FVSU led 38-24 at halftime with senior point guard Marcelis Hansberry (Jackson, MS) leading the way with 10-points and going 4-for-4 at the foul line. The Wildcats largest lead came at with 37 seconds left to half with 14-points, as the team had maintained the lead for more than 17 minutes. The Wildcats went 11-for-11 at the free throw line and made 31.6% of their shots from the floor. Carver was led by Jamil Saaka with 9-points.
 
At the 11:46 mark in the first half, freshman guard Tyler Edwards (Douglasville, GA) pumped in two free throws to give the Wildcats an 11-point lead. Carver's Saveyon Edwards jumper would close the gap to 21-15. Hansberry's layup with 37 seconds left would make the score 38-24 going to half.
 
Second half play would see the Cougars cut the lead to 9-points three times, 38-29, 46-37 and 48-39, the last coming at the 11:29 mark and the closest Carver would get. With 6:52 remaining, Edwards layup and free throw increase the Wildcats lead to 61-45 (16-points).FVSU gained its largest lead of 19-points (79-60) with 1:29 left as freshman guard Jaylon McMillan drained a 3-pointer.
 
McMillan led the Wildcats with 15-points, while going 5-of-8 from the field, made three 3-pointers and was 2-for-2 at the foul line. Edwards added 13-points, hit 7-for-7 free throws, and dished out a game-high 4 assist. Hansberry scored 12-points, went 4-for-4 at the line, while senior forward Dareial Franklin (Gadsden, AL) grabbed a team-high 8 boards.
 
FVSU had 53 rebounds, 15 assist and 13 steals. Carver grabbed 51 rebounds, 6 assist and 10 steals.
 
Edwards scored a game-high 21-points for Carver and Saaka had a double-double 18-points and game-high 11 rebounds.
 
FVSU shot 36.4% (28-77) from the field, 29.6% (8-27) threes and made 17-of-20 (85.0%) at the free throw line, while Carver hit 27-of-72 (37.5%) shots, 3-of-19 (15.8%) in trays and 45.0% (9-20) at the foul line.
 
Both teams scored 38-points each in the paint and the Wildcats outscored the Cougars 20-17 off turnovers, 22-18 in fast break points and 44-19 from players off the bench.
 
Next game: The Wildcats will travel to Owensboro, KY to play Kentucky Wesleyan College on Tuesday, December 15 at 4 pm.