Box Score The Lincoln University men's basketball team gave nationally ranked Virginia State University all they had Saturday but came up two points short, 55-53 in their regular season finale in Ettrick, Virginia.

The Lions fall to 12-14 overall and finish the regular season with a 7-9 record in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) games. The Trojans (#16 NABC coaches poll) improve to 23-3 overall and 13-3 in league play.  The Lions finished fourth in the North division with a 4-6 division record and will play the #5 seed in the South division in the opening round of the CIAA Tournament on Tuesday.

Cameron Campbell (Fayetteville, N.C./Trinity Christian ) and Jordan Camper (Chester, Pa./Chester) led the Lions with 12 points apiece. Gevon Arrington (Petersburg, Va./Petersburg (Richard Bland)) added 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.  Josh Page (Washington, D.C./Rock Creek Christian Academy) led the team with
four assists.

Cyonte Melvin was the lone VSU player to reach double figures scoring 10 points.  Trey Brown had nine points and seven rebounds and Waymond Wright added eight points.  William Vedder chipped in seven points and a game high nine rebounds.

The Trojans jumped all over the Lions in the opening minutes, gaining a 16-4 advantage before  Lincoln came roaring back embarking on a 19-3 uprising, erasing the deficit and taking a 23-19 lead, their first of the game.   TreVaughn Wilkerson (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Hartford)) started the run with a three-point field goal followed by a pair of free throws from Campbell and a basket and two more free throws from Arrington.  Camper later added a layup one and another free throw.  Campbell's layup with 1:29 left capped the run.  The Trojans followed with five straight points to retake the lead before Camper tied the game at the buzzer with a putback.

The second half started out much like the first only to a lesser extent as the Trojans scored the first seven points to take a 32-25 lead just 2:45 into the half. Lincoln came back with a 13-1 reclaiming the lead and increasing it to its largest point, 38-33 midway through the half. The back and forth battle between the two teams rambled on as the Trojans scored eight straight to take a 41-38 lead.  and the Lions followed with baskets by Campbell and Elijah Bush (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore (Essex County CC)) to take a 42-41 lead.  Over the next seven minutes neither team led by more than three points and there were two ties and five lead changes.

Camper put Lincoln up by two with a free throw at the 3:12 mark only to have VSU's Walter Williams sink one from deep to give the Trojans a one-point lead 52-51 with just under three minutes remaining.  Melvin's two free throws made the score 54-51 before Campbell closed the gap to one with two free throws with just under a minute left. VSU turned the ball over with just under 30 seconds left, which meant the lions could hold the ball for a potential game winning shot.  Campbell drove into the lane but lost his footing and VSU came away with the basketball.  Brown was fouled with 2.3 seconds left  and made one of two from the line to seal the win.

Lincoln's next game will be the opening round game at the CIAA Tournament on Tuesday at the Bojangles Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The lions will face the #5 South seed Fayetteville State University at 6:40 p.m.