ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands — The Virginia Union University men's basketball team completed a perfect trip to the Virgin Islands with a 68–51 victory over Dillard University on Saturday in the championship game of the YES HBCU Basketball Classic.

Virginia Union led 31–23 at halftime before pulling away in the second half, outscoring Dillard 37–28. The Panthers shot 50.0 percent from the field after the break and finished the game shooting 50.0 percent overall (22-of-44). 

The Panthers controlled the boards with a 40–34 rebounding edge and used balanced scoring and defensive pressure to maintain separation throughout the contest.

Malachi Dark and Tahj Harding paced Virginia Union with 11 points apiece. Elijah Scranton and Nemo Johnson each added 10 points, while Bobby Gardner chipped in nine.  Defensively, the Panthers limited Dillard to 32.7 percent shooting from the field and just 15.4 percent from three-point range.

"This is another trip that these kids will remember for the rest of their lives," said VUU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jay Butler. "To have the opportunity to travel to the Virgin Islands, play three games, go 3–0 and win the championship is a great feeling to start the season. The guys are starting to buy in to their roles and chemistry is getting stronger these five days in the Virgin Islands. Malachi had a great tournament and each day we have a different group step up to help us win the tournament."

Dillard was led by Devin Lewis with a game-high 17 points, but the Bleu Devils struggled offensively, shooting 18-of-55 from the floor and 4-of-26 from beyond the arc.

Virginia Union will return to action on Thursday, December 19, when the Panthers host Johnson C. Smith University at 6:00 p.m. at Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.