Dec. 12, 2011

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Midway through the first half, the Fayetteville State Broncos needed a spark.

Jarmel Baxter provided one. And for a while, that was enough.

But the Broncos couldn't overcome 22 turnovers and 28 fouls and Virginia Union had four players score in double figures to rally past Fayetteville State 82-77 on Monday in a nonconference game between CIAA foes.

Damion Harris battled foul trouble to score 12 points, matching Wesley Simmons and Calvin Brown for team-highs. Coredeo Hill, who added an emphatic dunk as the Pantehrs (5-4) used a late run to put the Broncos away, added 10 points.

But for a while, it looked like Baxter (Sr., Davidson, N.C.) was going to carry the Broncos (2-4) to a victory.

The sleek 6-3 guard scored 14 points to fuel a 19-5 scoring spurt in the latter half of the opening period, picking the Broncos up when they needed him the most to break through the Virginia Union matchup zone as Fayetteville State recovered from an early deficit.

Baxter finished with 17 of his game-high 23points in the opening half, as the Broncos bounced back from a seven-point deficit 11 minutes into the half to take an eight-point edge, 43-25, at the break.

Baxter's binge came in a span of just 6 minutes, beginning with a 3 and a quick step-back jumper. He had eight points in just 2 minutes, with his second 3 bringing the Broncos within one 28-27, with 7:05 to go in the half.

After Fayetteville State regained the lead, Baxter added more fuel to the fire, hitting yet another 3 and following that with an acrobatic three-point play for a 35-28 Broncos' edge. Fayetteville State led by as many as 10 twice before the break, bringing the Capel Arena faithful to their feet after a brilliant alley-oop from Andre Best (Jr., Raleigh, N.C.) to Tim Plummer (Sr., Apex, N.C.).

But Virginia Union came out on fire itself in the second half after shooting just 37 percent from the field in the first half. The Panthers used a 12-2 run to open the period to regain the lead.

Both teams battled back and forth the rest of the way in a game that featured 12 lead changes and nine ties. Baxter hit his fifth 3 with 6:34 remaining to tie the game at 67, but Virginia Union responded with a 7-0 run to stretch the lead back to seven with 3:33 to go.

Fayetteville State closed within one, 74-73, after six straight points from Sidney Evans (Sr., Durham, N.C.), but the Panthers came right back with six straight points to put the game away.

Evans finished with 16 points and a game-high 17 rebounds while Plummer added 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Fayetteville State travels to Barton on Friday for a 7 p.m. tip.