UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The
Kentucky State men's basketball team battled Lincoln in the championship game of the 2024 Toyota Chris Paul HBCU Classic but came up short, falling 78-70 on Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Lavar Miller Jr. led the Thorobreds with 22 points, making six field goals, including three three-pointers, and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. He also added nine rebounds to his performance.
Aziel Blackwell continued to make an impact on offense, tallying 21 points, six rebounds, and a team-high three steals for the Thorobreds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ogien Ayo opened the scoring for the Thorobreds with a three-point play, setting the tone for a tightly contested start. The lead shifted hands four times and the game was tied on three occasions before Lincoln gained a 12-8 advantage with 15:21 remaining in the first half.
The Lions surged ahead with a 15-2 run, building a 19-8 lead at the 12:58 mark of the first half. The Thorobreds halted the momentum with back-to-back baskets by
Lavar Miller Jr.
Kentucky State gained momentum with a 9-2 run, narrowing the gap to trail Lincoln 21-17 with 8:47 remaining in the first half. However, Lincoln answered emphatically with a 12-2 run, extending their lead to 38-23 at the 2:29 mark.
The Lions closed the first half strong from beyond the arc, hitting three of their final four three-point attempts to secure a 45-29 lead at halftime.
The Thorobreds trimmed the Lions' lead to single digits as
Aziel Blackwell's layup brought Kentucky State within eight points, cutting the deficit to 54-46 with 13:31 left in the second half.
Kentucky State continued to battle, stringing together a 5-0 run to narrow the gap to 63-54 against Lincoln with 7:32 remaining in the second half.
Lincoln maintained their momentum down the stretch, securing an 78-70 victory over the Thorobreds.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
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