The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) men’s basketball team fell 63-55 to Dillard University on Monday night at Albert W. Dent Hall as a late lead slipped away from the Buccaneers. The loss drops UVI to 0-2 in conference play on the season. UVI bolted out to a 16-5 lead and seemed to be in control of the game early. The team led for the entire first half. However, Dillard was able to close the gap right before the break with a layup as time expired. At halftime, the Buccaneers went into the locker room leading 32-26.
In the second half, the UVI seemed to still be in control of the ball game until Dillard went on a run to take its first lead of the night, 45-43, with under eight minutes left in the game.
A back-and-forth battle continued for the remainer of the game as most of the lead changes came during the span of the next three minutes. Jalil Langston kept the Buccaneers in the game late as he scored on back-to-back possessions to push UVI ahead of their conference foe. However, Dillard reclaimed the lead and finished on an 8-2 run to close out the contest.
Langston led the way for the Buccaneers with 13 points, three steals, and three rebounds.
Nasir Watson, Jalen Monroe, and Maurice Smith, Jr. joined Langston as the other Buccaneers
in double figures posting 12,11, and 10 points, respectively.
For Dillard, Tyrus Crawford and Tory Cargo both scored 14 points.
The next time the Buccaneers suit up will be in the “YES HBCU Classic” that will take place from December 15-17 at the Elridge Blake Sports at Fitness Center. Action begins on December 15 at 9 a.m. UVI will take on Virginia State University at 1:15 p.m. AST.
About UVI Athletics
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and, as of July 1, 2023, competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Entering the 2023-24 season, the Buccaneers will begin their 17th season of athletic competition. As the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, UVI currently sponsors six sports, including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. For more information on UVI Athletics, visit UVIAthletics.com.