Courtesy of the CIAA
Fayetteville State (20–4) surged ahead early and withstood a late Virginia Union (17–9) push to secure a 56–49 victory on Wednesday evening at CFG Bank Arena, advancing to Friday’s semifinal round where they will face the top Northern Division seed, Bowie State, at 6 p.m. The win was anchored by the all-around impact of guard Talia Trotter, who was named the Food Lion Player of the Game.
Fayetteville State wasted no time setting the tone. The Broncos opened the game on a decisive run, building a 22–12 lead after the first quarter behind active paint play, transition scoring, and timely three-point shooting. Trotter initiated the early burst with a pair of drives and a fastbreak jumper, while Amina Miles and Alivia Evans helped finish at the rim. Nevaeh Colon and Jashontae Harris provided a major boost off the bench, combining for multiple threes that stretched the Broncos’ lead to double figures.
Defensively, Fayetteville State controlled the glass and protected the rim, winning the rebounding battle 41–30 and limiting Virginia Union to just seven second-chance points. The Broncos also converted defense into offense, turning 15 Panther turnovers into 17 points.
Virginia Union struggled to find rhythm in the first half but received a lifeline from senior guard Maya Robinson, who kept her team within reach throughout the night. Robinson delivered a game-high 21 points, mixing strong drives and perimeter shooting, including a trio of second-half threes that sparked a Union rally. Despite trailing 35–19 in the second quarter and 44–34 entering the fourth, the Panthers continued to chip away behind Robinson and key defensive stops.
Fayetteville State maintained its composure even as the offense cooled in the third quarter. Trotter orchestrated the Broncos’ spacing and pace, finishing with eight points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Evans added nine points and three rebounds, Miles posted eight points and eight boards, and Colon supplied 10 points off the bench.
Virginia Union’s push intensified late, highlighted by clutch perimeter shooting from Robinson, Ashley Gonzalez, and Hailey Blackwell. The Panthers finished with 20 points off turnovers and 24 bench points, finding energy when they needed it most. But despite cutting the deficit to single digits, they were never able to erase FSU’s early advantage.
The Broncos executed defensively down the stretch, forcing contested looks and controlling key rebounds in the final minutes to seal the win and punch their ticket to the CIAA semifinals for the second straight season.
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