FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats played well early in their first home appearance of 2024 Saturday. Savannah State turned the tide starting two minutes into the second half and held Fort Valley State without a field goal for over nine minutes on the way to a 66-51 men's basketball win.

FVSU (3-11) played a solid opening 20 minutes and the home team led by as many as seven points, 13-6, one time and six points three other times (10-4, 19-13 and 21-15). After trailing by two at half, the Wildcats edged ahead exactly two minutes into the second stanza on a Quincy Young layup for a 38-37 score. It turned out to be the final for the next 11:19 in a time where the Tigers put together the game-deciding 16-2 run over 9:26 off the clock to turn their one-point deficit into a 13-point advantage, 53-40. Jahlen Jack stopped the home field goal drought with 6:41 remaining to make it 55-44, but FVSU could get no closer.

Khadim Samb led FVSU in scoring with nine points and seven rebounds. Myson Lowe was next with seven points. The three Wildcats of Jack, Young and Kevan Eskridge each contributed six points.

Following a 14 of 31 first half, FVSU went cold in the second 20 minutes where it went 6 of 21 from the floor, while Savannah State hit half of it second-half shots (13 of 26).

Zion Davis came off the visitors' bench for a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.

FVSU remains at home where it will host Edward Waters in a 5 p.m. tip on Monday, Jan. 15.

 

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