PETERSBURG, Va. — January 17, 2026 — The Virginia Union University men's basketball team delivered a dominant defensive performance Saturday evening, defeating Virginia State University, 65-37, at VSU Multi-Purpose Center.

Virginia Union set the tone early, holding the Trojans to 19 first-half points while building a 29-19 advantage at the break. The Panthers continued to control the tempo in the second half, outscoring Virginia State 36-18 to pull away for the convincing CIAA victory.

Malachi Dark led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field, while also contributing four rebounds and three steals. Tahj Harding finished with 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, as VUU received balanced production throughout the lineup.

Virginia Union shot 40 percent from the floor for the game and limited Virginia State to just 37 points, forcing difficult shots and capitalizing on defensive stops to generate offense.

"I think the game went well for us defensively," said VUU Assistant Men's Basketball Coach Robert Johnson. "We're always preaching defense, and we know when we play our best defensive game that good things are going to happen. Virginia State is a real good team, so to hold them to 19 points in the first half and then duplicate that in the second half means that the guys have bought into the mindset that when we play good defense that good things are going to happen."

Virginia State was led by William Hopkins, who scored 12 points, while Amare Wimbush added eight in the loss.

With the win, the Panthers continue their push in CIAA play, showcasing their trademark defensive intensity and depth.

UP NEXT
Virginia Union returns to action on Wednesday, January 21, when the Panthers travel to face Bluefield State University in Bluefield, W.V.