The Virginia Union University men's basketball team had their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday, February 1, as they fell to Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 72-56, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.

Despite a strong performance early on, the Panthers couldn't sustain their momentum as Lincoln University took control in the second half, ultimately securing the victory.

A Solid Start, but a Tough Finish
Virginia Union came out of the gate with strong defense, but a missed opportunity to extend their early lead proved costly. Jonathan King, the Panthers' standout forward, recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, but his efforts couldn't stop Lincoln from gaining momentum. DJ Mitchell and Malachi Dark also added 15 and 11 points, respectively, but the Panthers struggled offensively as the game wore on.

Head Coach Jay Butler acknowledged the challenges his team faced after the game. "You have to give Lincoln credit for coming in and playing like the defending CIAA champs today," Butler said. "I thought we got off to a good start defensively but we had opportunities to extend the lead to double figures and we let Lincoln hang around to take the lead going into the half. The second half, we struggled to score offensively, and that allowed Lincoln to pull away."

Looking Ahead
The Panthers will look to bounce back next week when they face Bluefield State University at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, in Bluefield, W.V. With their eyes on regaining momentum, Virginia Union will be looking to refocus and return to their winning ways.