STATE EDGES SHEPHERD

INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- Mark Peterson scored a game-high 32 points to lift West Virginia State to an 86-83 win over Shepherd College in WVIAC men's basketball action on Monday night.

Trailing 80-71 with a 1:01 to play, Shepherd rallied in the game's final minute. The Rams went on a 12-5 run to close to within 85-83 on a Demond Tapscott (Fauquier/Warrenton, VA) layup with 11 seconds remaining. After State's Tyrwone Still hit 1-of-2 free throws to increase the lead to 86-83, Tapscott missed a three-point attempt with four seconds left and the Yellow Jackets held on for the win.

Ryan Jones (Banneker/Washington, DC) led Shepherd with 23 points on an 11-of-15 shooting effort. Tapscott added 20 points, while Phil Stewart (The Heights School/ New Carrollton, MD) had 16. Jones added a team-high eight rebounds, while Kevin Newsome (Archbishop Carroll/Washington, DC) added four points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and two steals.

Peterson hit 10-of-17 shots from the floor and was 12-of-16 from the charity stripe. He also hauled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Ronald Donaldson added 21 points for State, while Mike Taylor scored 12.

Shepherd falls to 7-10, 5-6 in conference action, while West Virginia State improves to 6-12, 4-6. The Rams return to action on Thursday when they host Ohio Valley for a 8:00 p.m. contest at the Butcher Athletic Center.