FORT VALLEY, GA (January 28, 2016) – The Fort Valley State Wildcats (4-18; 2-10) placed four Wildcats in double figures in their 84-76 win over the Tigers of Tuskegee University (10-7; 6-4) Thursday night at the HPE Complex.
 
Senior forward Dareial Franklin led the Wildcats in scoring with 22-points while pulling down 7 boards and senior guard Maritea Duke's adding 7 rebounds and a game-high 5 assist. Franklin hit 6-of-9 shots from the floor and 10-of-13 free throws, and dished one assist, one block and one steal.  Junior guard LeRoy Broner added 13-points and made 9-of-13 foul shots, senior center Ralph Wilson collected 12-points and senior point guard Marcelis Hansberry with 11-points.   
 
Elijah MCMillan led Tuskegee in scoring and rebounds with game-highs 28-points and 13 rebounds.
 
FVSU fell short in overall rebounds 38-41, while the Wildcats turned the basketball over 22 times to TU's 14. TU outscored FVSU in the paint 36-34, 16-7 off turnovers, 19-9 on second chance shots, 16-10 on fast breaks and 21-21 from bench players.
 
The Wildcats scored on 56.8% (25-of-44) shots from the field, made five 3-pointers, and hit 67-4% (29-of-43) free throws. TU made 24-of-68 (35.3%) shots and 24-of-37 (64.9%) foul shots.
 
The Tigers led by as much six points through the first five minutes twenty six seconds of the first half, before the Wildcats' Duke made layup gave the Wildcats their first lead 30-29 at the five minute mark. TU's Camden Foster jumper with two minutes thirty five seconds left gave the Tigers the lead 34-32 and the lead at halftime 39-37.
 
Hansberry's tray tied the game at 55 all in the second half and Wilson's layup made the score 57-55. With 7:46 on the clock the Wildcats led 68-57, but TU cut that lead to 71-67 with five minutes to go. Franklin's two free throws gave FVSU the win with an 11-points lead with thirty three seconds left.
 
Next game: The Wildcats will host the Golden Bears of Miles College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 30.