Virginia Union University improved to 6-1 on the season with a decisive 68-49 road victory over Shepherd University on Wednesday night at the Butcher Athletic Center in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
VUU used a strong defensive effort and a fast start to take control early, outscoring Shepherd 32-25 in the first half and holding the Rams to just 31 percent shooting from the field. The Panthers forced 10 turnovers and limited Shepherd to 9-of-31 shooting from three-point range.
Bobby Gardner and Noah Richardson-Keys powered the early surge, combining for 26 points. Gardner finished with 13 points, three steals, and two assists, while Richardson-Keys added 13 points and two rebounds.
Malachi Dark provided a reliable presence inside with eight points and six rebounds, and
O'Maundre Harris added eight points, two assists, and two rebounds off the bench.
Elijah Scranton delivered another standout performance on the glass, posting a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead all players in rebounding. The Panthers won the battle of the boards 36-32 and outscored Shepherd 38-16 in the paint.
VUU shot an efficient 50 percent from the field (29-of-58) and committed just five turnovers—one of the team's cleanest offensive performances of the season. The Panthers also received 24 bench points, fueled by
Tahj Harding's eight points and strong contributions from the supporting rotation.
Shepherd (3-3) was led by Brody Davis, who scored a game-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. No other Ram reached double figures.
Coach's Quote
"This was a really good road win for us," said VUU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jay Butler. "I thought Bobby Gardner and Noah Richardson-Keys set the tone early with their energy on the defensive end, which helped us build that early lead. Shepherd is one of the better shooting teams in the region, and I thought we did a great job closing out on their shooters throughout the game. Eli Scranton continues to lead us on the boards with another double-double."
Next Game:
Saturday, December 6, against Fayetteville State University at 4:00 p.m. at Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.
