Bluefield State and Virginia State Clash in Critical CIAA North Showdown

In a thrilling CIAA North doubleheader, the Virginia State Trojans and Bluefield State Big Blue traded victories in a series of games that have major implications for the conference standings.

The Bluefield State women got things started, engaging in a hard-fought defensive battle with the Lady Trojans that ended with the Big Blue pulling out a 91-87 victory. This marks the first-ever road win for Bluefield State against Virginia State, and it also ties them with Virginia Union for second place in the CIAA North division at 6-4.

For the Lady Trojans, this loss snaps a four-game winning streak and trims their division lead to just one game, as they now sit at 7-3 against CIAA opponents. Jasmine Jenkins led the way for Bluefield State with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Michelle McGee came off the bench to score 19 points on 70% shooting. Virginia State was paced by Kendahl Spearman's team-high 27 points and Sydney Roberts' 22 points and six steals.

The key moment came in the third quarter, where Bluefield State outscored Virginia State 34-18, including 18 points off 10 turnovers (nine steals). Though the Lady Trojans made a late push to trim the deficit to just two points, the Big Blue sealed the win at the free-throw line.

In the men's matchup, the defending CIAA champion Trojans kept their hopes of a division title alive with a dramatic 60-59 win over the Big Blue.

Jacob Cooper led the way for the Trojans with 17 points and five assists, while Davian Coleman chipped in 13 points on perfect 6-for-6 shooting, adding six rebounds and three blocks. For Bluefield State, Myles Pierre had a game-high 18 points and six rebounds, followed by 15 points and four assists from Ellija Preddy.

In a game defined by scoring runs, Bluefield State jumped out to an 18-6 lead in the first 12 minutes. However, a seven-point scoring burst by Cooper helped Virginia State regain the lead, and they eventually took a nine-point advantage at halftime. While the Big Blue battled back in the second half to reclaim the lead in the final minutes, they were unable to complete the comeback due to missed free throws down the stretch.

"This was a huge win for our program, especially on the road against the division leaders. Our players really stepped up and showed their resilience, and this result puts us right back in the thick of the CIAA North race. We're excited to see how the rest of the season unfolds."

As the premier online community for HBCU alumni and supporters, HBCUConnect.com is thrilled to highlight this exciting matchup between two storied CIAA rivals. These types of high-stakes, back-and-forth battles are what make HBCU basketball so captivating, and the fact that both the men's and women's teams were involved makes this doubleheader even more impactful. The resilience and talent displayed by these student-athletes is a true testament to the competitive spirit of HBCU sports, and we look forward to seeing how the rest of the CIAA season unfolds for Bluefield State and Virginia State.

Originally reported by HBCU Sports.