February 7, 2026 – Elizabeth City, N.C. — The Virginia Union University men's basketball team turned in a strong defensive performance Saturday afternoon, earning a 61–43 road victory over Elizabeth City State University at the R.L. Vaughan Center.

With the win, the Panthers improve to 21–3 overall and remain in first place in the Northern Division of the CIAA.

"I thought we came out today with a sense of urgency on the defensive end after a subpar defensive performance against Elizabeth City at home about a week ago," said VUU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jay Butler. "I was happy to see Malachi establish himself today in the post. He was dominant in the entire game. Noah and Elijah did an excellent job rebounding the ball today and made numerous hustle plays to help us get the win."

Virginia Union was led offensively by Malachi Dark, who scored a game-high 20 points, establishing his presence in the paint throughout the contest. Travis Vaughn added 13 points, providing a steady scoring punch for the Panthers.

On the glass, Noah Richardson-Keyes paced VUU with 12 rebounds, while Elijah Scranton pulled down 10 boards, as the Panthers controlled the rebounding battle and limited second-chance opportunities for the Vikings.

The Panthers' defense set the tone from the opening tip, holding Elizabeth City State to just 43 points and maintaining control on both ends of the floor for the majority of the game.

Next Game:
Virginia Union returns home to Barco-Stevens Hall to face Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, February 11, in Richmond, Va.