ORANGEBURG, S.C. — January 12, 2026 — The Virginia Union University women's basketball team secured a thrilling 56–55 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) road victory over Claflin University Saturday evening at Tullis Arena, as Bruni Martinez scored the game-winning basket on a layup with seven seconds remaining.

The Panthers battled through a tightly contested matchup that featured multiple lead changes and physical play on both ends of the floor. With the score tied late, Martinez drove to the basket and finished through contact to give Virginia Union the decisive edge before the Panthers closed the game with a final defensive stand.

"This was a great team win," said VUU Head Women's Basketball Coach Alico Dunk. "We showed some toughness tonight. I'm proud of their effort and will to win."

Virginia Union was led offensively by Maya Robinson, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Serenity Johnson added 11 points, while Martinez chipped in 10 points, including the clutch go-ahead layup. Karimah Nix contributed nine points and helped manage the tempo down the stretch.
The Panthers shot 39.1 percent from the field (18-46) and converted 17 of 22 attempts from the free-throw line. Virginia Union also forced timely turnovers in the closing minutes to preserve the one-point victory.

With the victory, Virginia Union improves to 8-4 overall and 3-2 in CIAA play, while Claflin moves to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in conference action.

Next Game:
Virginia Union returns to action on Wednesday, January 14, traveling to Charlotte, N.C. to face Johnson C. Smith University in CIAA competition.