UNCASVILE, Conn. – Kentucky State men's basketball advances to the Toyota Chris Paul HBCU Classic Championship defeating Winston-Salem 86-79 on Thursday afternoon from the Mohegan Sun Arena.  
 
Aziel Blackwell spearheaded the Thorobreds with a standout performance, scoring 30 points, including 13 free throws and eight field goals. He also led the team with five assists and four steals.
 
Lavar Miller Jr. showcased his sharpshooting skills from beyond the arc, draining eight three-pointers to finish with 28 points.
 
Tyson Brooks made his presence felt on the boards, pulling down a team-high 11 rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Winston-Salem opened the first half on fire, shooting 6-for-7 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, sparking a 9-0 run and an early 15-10 lead at the 15:39 mark.
 
Kentucky State responded with a dominant 14-2 run, fueled by six points from Miller , to reclaim a 24-17 advantage with 12:01 left in the half.
 
Late in the first half, Masaun Moore-Bryant's three-pointer capped an 11-1 run for Winston-Salem, tying the game at 34 with 4:43 remaining. The Rams extended their surge to 19-3 in the closing minutes of the half.
 
Blackwell helped the Thorobreds close the gap, sinking two free throws to trim the Rams' lead to 42-40. In the final minute of the first half, he added a layup to tie the game at 42-42. Moments later, Jaylen Daughtery nailed a jumper to knot the score at 44-44heading into halftime.
 
The battle intensified in the second half, with the score tying twice before Ogien Ayo scored back-to-back buckets and Blackwell converted a three-point play, extending Kentucky State's lead to 71-63 at the 8:08 mark.
 
Micah Jones made a three-pointer to give Winston-Salem a brief 72-71 lead, but Daughtery responded with a dunk to put Kentucky State back on top, 73-72, with 4:52 left on the clock.
 
The Thorobreds pulled with a pair of three pointers from Miller to overthrow the Rams 86-79. 
 
UP NEXT
Kentucky State will advance to the Toyota Chris Paul HBCU Classic Championship tomorrow, Dec. 20 at 1:30 p.m. to Lincoln (Pa.).  
 

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