FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Fort Valley State University Men's Basketball (11–9, 10–9 SIAC) used an efficient shooting night and strong defensive pressure to pull away from Kentucky State University (5–16, 5–13 SIAC), securing an 86–68 victory Thursday evening.

Kentucky State struck first, but the Wildcats quickly answered as Aidan Lambert finished a fastbreak layup to even the score at 2–2. Moments later, Derek Delgardo Jr. connected from beyond the arc in transition, igniting an early run that gave Fort Valley State a 7–2 advantage just over two minutes into the contest.

Fort Valley State continued to set the tone defensively, forcing turnovers that translated into points on the offensive end. Lambert consistently attacked the paint, while Danny Delgardo III and CJ Williams stretched the floor with perimeter shooting to help the Wildcats build an 18–12 lead midway through the first half.

Kentucky State trimmed the deficit to one late in the half, but Fort Valley State responded with timely execution. Sincere Whitehead converted a strong finish inside before knocking down two free throws in the closing seconds, sending the Wildcats into halftime with a 41–37 lead.

The Wildcats came out of the break with renewed energy. Whitehead opened the second half with a basket in the paint, followed by a three-pointer from Delgardo III to extend the lead to 46–39. Lambert continued to set the offensive pace, scoring through contact and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities as Fort Valley State pushed its advantage into double figures.

Midway through the second half, the Wildcats delivered the decisive stretch. Meka Nnaji completed an and-one in the paint and followed it with a steal and finish to extend the lead to 56–41, shifting momentum firmly in Fort Valley State's favor.

Williams provided one of the game's defining moments at the 7:07 mark, burying a three-pointer to stop a brief Kentucky State run and restore a 16-point cushion. Jahlen Jack and Tim James helped close out the victory with clutch free throws and timely buckets down the stretch.

The exclamation point came in the final minute when Tyler Pendergrass knocked down a corner three to cap the scoring and seal the 86–68 win.

Five Wildcats scored in double figures, led by Lambert's 20-point performance on seven made field goals while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Nnaji followed with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. Delgardo III, Williams and Whitehead each added 10 points. Whitehead also recorded the team's lone double-double, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds.

Fort Valley State returns to action on Saturday, February 7, hosting Central State University for Senior Day at 4 p.m. inside the HPE Complex.