LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania men's basketball program defeated the Virginia Union Panthers by only eight points, 85-77, but the score was deceiving as the Lions were up 18 with just over two minutes remaining before VUU scored ten unanswered points in garbage time to make it respectable.
 
The game was extremely chippy on both sides, but a fired-up home crowd and a rowdy student section loved every second of it as it resulted in an electric atmosphere which helped spur Lincoln onto handing the Atlantic Region's fifth-ranked squad only its sixth loss of the season.

What You Need to Know:
 

• Score: Lincoln (PA) 85 | Virginia Union 77

 

• Records: Lincoln-PA (12-13, 6-7 CIAA) | Virginia Union (19-6, 9-4 CIAA)

 

• Location: Lincoln University, Pennsylvania – Manuel Rivero Gymnasium

 

• Winning Streak: Lincoln-PA (W1) | Virginia Union's Last Win: January 18, 2023 (74-72, OT)

 
Lincoln (PA) Top Performers:
 

• Korey Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./LaSalle Academy) was a man on a mission Thursday night, cashing in a game-high 25 points on 6-of-11 (54.5%) and 4-for-8 (50%) from three (team had six total treys), while making nine free throws on top of three assists, two boards and only one turnover.

 

• Bakir Cleveland (Newark, N.J./University) had a near double-double, putting a 17-spot in the stat sheet with a Lions-best nine rebounds plus a pair of steals in a 6-for-12 shooting night.

 

• Peter Sorber (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) made a season-best five freebies to go along with 11 points and seven rebounds, rejecting a contest-best three Panthers shots into the cheap seats as well to grow his team-leading total to 25 blocks.

 

• Reggie Hudson (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) seemed to be very fond of the number four on the evening, notching game-highs of four steals and four assists with four free throws made and four fouls . . . finishing with eight points.

 

• Janaie Coates-Sinues (Newark, N.J./University) secured a personal-best when he sank four from the charity stripe, pulling down seven rebounds and putting a dozen points on the board.

 
Notes:
 

• A physical battle between the two rivals would be a massive understatement, however, the stats do not lie as Virginia Union committed 30 personal fouls on the night, the second-most by a Lincoln opponent this year, and the most in a CIAA matchup.

 
Next:
 

• The Shaw Bears are the next team on the schedule in Raleigh with a 4 p.m. tipoff looming large in the CIAA Tournament seeding picture.