ETTRICK, Va. – Four different Mansfield University men's basketball players score in double-figures, but Virginia State University built an early first half lead on their way to a 101-73 non-conference victory on Friday night, Nov. 12 at the VSU Multipurpose Center.
 
The Mounties (0-1 overall) were victim to the Trojans (1-0 overall) hot-shooting night, as Virginia State shot over 50 percent from the field (39-of-72) and from three (12-of-23). The Mounties were able to get out on the break, leading in fast-break points 10-2, but the Trojans outscored the Mounties on second-chance points, 19-10.
 
Sophomore Marcus Friend and freshman Justice Smith each poured in 11 points in their first game as a Mountaineer. Friend finished 3-of-3 from 3-point land while Smith finished 2-of-3. The Mounties shot 10-of-22 as a group from down town and finished 16-of-24 from the charity stripe.
 
Senior Eli Alvin came scored 11 points off the bench after going 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. Freshman Scott Woodring finished with 10 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes of his collegiate debut.
 
Friend drilled his first three of the contest to give the Mounties the first basket of the game. MU responded from back-to-back Trojan layups a minute later with a three from Justice to take an early 6-4 lead.
 
Friend connected on a mid-range jumper at the 17:36 mark to regain the Mountaineer lead at 8-7, however, that was the last MU advantage of the contest as the Trojans followed with a 40-16 run over the ensuing 14 minutes to take their largest lead of the half, 47-23.
 
Trailing 50-37 coming out of the half, the Mounties opened the second half on a 9-1 run, capped off by a dunk from Smith, to cut the Trojan lead to 15, but that was as close as they could get as Virginia State led by 20 or more for the final 15 minutes.
 
Five different Trojans finished in double-figures, led by a game-high 15 points (3-of-5 3-pointers) from Jonathan Norfleet and 14 from Dajour Rucker (nine rebounds).
 
The Mounties are back in action tomorrow, Nov. 13 for a non-conference game at 4 p.m. against Virginia Union at the VSU Multipurpose Center.