FRANKFORT, Ky.  – Kentucky State shook off a 13-point first-half hole and stormed through the second half, powering past Fort Valley State 97–86 in front of nearly 500 excited students from Second Street School and William Wells Brown Elementary School.
 
Sean Paige powered Kentucky State with a game-high 29 points, hitting 10 shots from the field and going 9-of-12 at the line, and added 14 rebounds — including 10 on the defensive end — to post a double-double.
 
Aziel Blackwell and Gregory Melvin each finished with 21 points, with Blackwell turning in an efficient afternoon on 7-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-2 from deep and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free-throw line.
 
Kentucky State dominated the paint 60–42 and converted 18 Fort Valley State turnovers into 25 points.
 
The first half featured eight lead changes and seven ties before the Wildcats used a 10-point run at the 5:56 mark to build a 51–38 halftime advantage.
 
Kentucky State responded after the break, sparked by five points from Blackwell during a 10–2 surge. His converted three-point play tied the game at 56 with 14:35 remaining. The Thorobreds continued to roll, stretching the run to 23–5 and taking a 69–59 lead on a layup by Gregory Melvin at the 9:59 mark.
 
In the final minute, Paige knocked down a pair of free throws to push Kentucky State's lead to 14 points, its largest of the night, and seal a 97–86 win over the Wildcats.
 
UP NEXT
Kentucky State will head to Evansville, Ind. for an exhibition contest at Southern Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m.
 
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