Virginia Union University's Keleaf Tate sank a jumper with :03 seconds left in the game to give the Panthers a 56-54 win over Shepherd University on Saturday, December 11, in Shepherdstown, W.V.

Tate, along with Devon Sims and Robert Osborne, scored 10 points to lead VUU in scoring.

"Anytime you can get a win on the road it's good but when it's at Shepherd it's a big win for us," VUU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jay Butler said. 

"Keleaf Tate loves to take the shot when the game is on the line and he hit a huge three pointer for the win, Butler said.

VUU's Raemaad Wright grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to lead the Panthers on the board.

Virginia Union overcame a 10-point first half deficit before taking the lead for good at 8:32 in the second half on a jumper by Osborne.

 "I thought we played solid defense early but we couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half.," Butler said.  "We came out in the second half and thought we were really good defensively to hold Shepherd to only 25 points in the second half.  We got a lot of help on both ends of the court off the bench from Devon Sims, Tahj Harding, and Robbie Osborne."

VUU got 30 points from the bench compared to five for Shepherd.

Virginia Union is now 6-2 on the season while Shepherd dropped to 5-3.  

VUU now returns home to face Livingstone College at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14, at Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.