To conclude yet another CIAA Basketball Tournament, a hard-fought matchup between Bluefield State and Virginia State brought invigorating postseason excitement back to Charm City.
The leadership and guidance of VSU guard Jacob Cooper catapulted the Trojans back to CIAA prominence. The 5-foot-8 floor general made timely plays down the stretch, leading VSU with 16 points, eight assists and eight rebounds as the Trojans outlasted the Big Blue, 71-64, on Saturday evening at CFG Bank Arena.
The CIAA tournament crown is Virginia State’s first since 2019. In only its second year with the conference, Bluefield State – an HBCU in West Virginia – fought its way to the CIAA championship match. On their way to the title game, the Big Blue might have pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament, knocking off Fayetteville State in the semifinal round, 71-65.
Jared White also showed up for the Trojans in crucial moments, recording 11 points and five boards off the bench. Davian Coleman and Jayson Harris pulled down 12 boards apiece, enabling VSU to outrebound BSU 52-38.
The title game matchup was a nail-biter as many probably expected it to be, but the Trojans managed to pull away at the end thanks to a series of clutch defensive plays that were converted on the offensive end.
One of the top teams in the conference, VSU is now 21-8 overall with the victory. Conversely, Bluefield State’s season ends at 19-11 overall.
To begin the afternoon, the Big Blue shot relatively well from the field, connecting on 50 percent of their field goal attempts in the top of the first half. Early on, Jordan Hinds, Shainen Carter and Terrell Williams pioneered the Bluefield State offense.
With 8:34 remaining in the first half, Darius Boben’s short jumper from six feet put the Big Blue ahead 23-18. VSU answered with a six-point run capped off by a Dajour Rucker breakaway layup.
Center Davian Coleman was pivotal on the glass, as was Rucker, enabling the Trojans to gain control toward the end of the first half.
Hinds pulled up for a deep 2 as the first half buzzer sounded as Bluefield State narrowly trailed 36-35 heading into the locker rooms.
The Trojans attacked the paint to maintain a close lead to maintain a slim advantage for most of the second half. For the most part, VSU guard Jacob Cooper facilitated the offense, finding big men down low for scoring opportunities.
But the Big Blue didn’t lay down. Larry Howell, Williams and Hinds laced jumpers on consecutive possessions to help Bluefield State regain control toward the end of the contest. A putback tip by Carter stretched Bluefield State’s lead to 60-55 at the 6:19 mark.
A fastbreak layup by Jared White off a feed from Cooper, and two wide open buckets from Jaedan Jefferson — one a high-flying dunk and another a layin — put VSU back on top, 62-61 before media timeout with 3:51 left in regulation.
Another Cooper assist – this time to Clint Wright Jr. on the right wing gave VSU a three-possession lead with 2:23 left, before a two-handed slam by Carter on the other end. At the two-minute mark, the Trojans were winning 69-64.
In the final minute and a half, interior defense helped the Trojans clinch the win. VSU defenders blocked multiple BSU attempts at the rim en route to the close victory.
Despite the loss, the Big Blue’s offensive balance was advantageous for most of the evening. The Trojans completed a 12-point turnaround in the final six minutes of regulation, and the Big Blue were simply unable to respond.
Hinds, the CIAA Player of the Year, posted 12 points and seven rebounds. Williams scored 16 and added five assists, Howell netted 15 points and Carter poured in 14 points, eight boards and three blocks.
Next, Virginia State will await seeding for the Division II national tournament in the selection show scheduled for March 9.