The University of the Virgin Islands Buccaneers men’s basketball team secured a 70-65 victory over Wilberforce University on Tuesday evening at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas. The Buccaneers managed to hold off a second-half rally by the Bulldogs to clinch the win.
UVI asserted its dominance early and often, excelling on both ends of the court in the first half. The Buccaneers put on an impressive offensive performance, shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range, establishing a commanding 45-25 lead by halftime. Defensively, they held their opponents to just 22% shooting from the field and 11% from beyond the arc. Junior guard Devin Binyard was instrumental in the Buccaneers’ early success, contributing 11 points in the first half during his first start of the season.
“We played exceptionally well in the first half,” remarked Head Coach Kevin Sheppard. “We minimized turnovers, shared the ball effectively, and held our opponents to under 30 points. However, in the second half, we became overconfident and were initially outhustled, allowing our opponents to close the gap. Eventually, we regained our composure and control of the game, but I was not satisfied with our performance at the start of the half.”
A sluggish start to the second half by the Buccaneers allowed their opponent to narrow the deficit as they found themselves on the wrong end of an 18-2 run. The two teams would trade baskets the remainder of the period, with neither team able to establish control of the game. With just over one minute remaining in the game, the Buccaneers’ lead shrank to two points, 66-64. However, four crucial free throws in two visits to the line by graduate forward Brandon Rasmussen would seal the victory for the Buccaneers.
UVI will now shift its focus to the USVI YES HBCU Classic at the Digma Wheatley Gymnasium in St. Thomas. UVI’s first matchup of the tournament will be against Virginia Union as they face off on Dec. 11 at 1:30 p.m.
“We’re excited to play in a tournament like this on our home soil. We have a tough matchup on day one of the tournament, facing a Division II opponent, Virginia Union, but we’re ready to take the floor against them and see what they’re made of.”
