Kentucky State Defeats Edward Waters 108-87, Advances to SIAC Quarterfinals

Kentucky State Defeats Edward Waters 108-87, Advances to SIAC Quarterfinals

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A 108-87 win over Edward Waters Saturday afternoon advances Kentucky State men's basketball to the 2025 SIAC Basketball Championship quarterfinals in Atlanta.
 
Junior Gregory Melvin had a season-high afternoon, making 12 shots from the field alongside three three-pointers to lead both teams with 34 points.
 
Continuing to show he leads the nation from long range, Senior Lavar Miller Jr. made five three-pointers and led the Thorobreds, going 7-of-8 at the charity stripe to record 26 points. He also led the contest with six assists.
 
The Thorobreds improved their shooting in the second half, shooting nearly 60% (18-of-31) from the field while shooting over 50% (7-of-13) from three-point range and staying consistent at the charity stripe, shooting over 80% (17-of-21).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the Thorobred's opening possession, Senior Ogien Ayo scored on a jump shot; Melvin followed, scoring six unanswered points to put Kentucky State ahead 13-4 at 15:49 of the first half.
 
Miller gave the Thorobreds their largest lead of the half with a three-pointer off a Tigers turnover, putting them ahead 27-16 with 9:29 remaining. He later pushed the lead back to 11 with another three at 1:12, helping Kentucky State take a 48-40 advantage into halftime.
 
Early in the second half, the Thorobreds capped a 13-point run with a three-pointer from Melvin, extending their lead to 66-48 at the 14:24 mark.
 
At the 2:47 mark, Miller was fouled and sank both free throws, extending the Thorobreds' lead to 106-79, their largest of the game at 27 points.
 
The Tigers scored the final basket, but the Thorobreds secured a 108-87 victory.

UP NEXT 
With their win over Edward Waters, Kentucky State will advance to play the top seed in the East Division Clark Atlanta in the quarterfinals of the 2025 SIAC Basketball Championship on March 5. Tip is slated for 5:00 p.m. inside of Forbes Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
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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 www.thesiac.com.