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Fort Valley State recorded 16 steals on its way to the victory.
The margins between victory and defeat can’t be much narrower than the results Fort Valley State experienced in men’s basketball through five games this season.
The Wildcats were winless, having lost by two, three, four, and five points (plus a blowout against West Georgia). But FVSU prevailed Saturday in another nip-and-tuck affair, rallying for an 80-72 victory against visiting Tuskegee. A pair of free throws by senior Kenton Eskridge gave FVSU its first lead, 64-62, with 7:43 left, and the Wildcats never trailed again.
Eskridge scored a team-high 20 points and was 12-for-12 on free throws. Junior Myson Lowe chipped in 17 points, while sophomore Davorian Rudolph just missed a double-double (nine points and 10 rebounds). The Wildcats improved to 1-5 overall, and 1-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Tuskegee led by as many as 11 points in the first half, largely due to torrid shooting from D’Anthony Pennington. The junior guard was 5-for-5 on three-pointers and had 21 points at the break. He finished with a career-high 31 points but cooled off in the second half (0-for-3 on three-pointers), as the Golden Tigers struggled at the free throw line (11-for-21 after intermission).
FVSU trailed, 62-55, with 11:05 left when it delivered a game-changing run. Khadim Samb’s lone basket, a three-pointer, sparked a 13-0 spurt that highlighted an area of strength for the Wildcats: Defense.
Junior guard Jamal Reynolds, the SIAC’s reigning and preseason pick for Defensive Player of the Year, recorded two driving layups off his own steals during the run. He finished with six of the Wildcats’ 16 steals, helping lead to their lopsided advantages in points off turnovers (20-12) and fast break points (18-0). FVSU’s superior depth was evident, too, as the Wildcats’ bench players outscored their counterparts, 27-6.
Tuskegee (1-5, 0-1 in the SIAC) won the Western Division last season and was picked to finish second this season. Pennington, selected as a preseason All-SIAC member, didn’t have much assistance Saturday other than sophomore Kusamae Draper (17 points) and junior Martez Jones (12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds). The Golden Tigers enjoyed an advantage in rebounding, 39-27, and second-chance points, 16-7, but couldn’t overcome dreadful free-throw shooting (52 percent).
Tuskegee stays on the road to face Albany State on Monday, at 7 p.m. ET, while FVSU continues its home swing on Monday, hosting Spring Hill College at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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