Virginia State’s bench provided a spark Saturday as the Trojans pulled away for an 82-64 victory over the UDC Firebirds.

The Trojans (2-2) got 31 points from non-starters while Jordan Lambert led the team with 21 points, seven assists and two steals. Brandon Hilliard added 10 points, and Amare Wimbush contributed nine points, six rebounds and three steals. 

Virginia State’s ball movement was on full display, recording 23 assists on 28 made field goals. Lambert’s seven assists paced the team. Defensively, the Trojans limited UDC to 32.8% shooting from the field and 28.6% from three-point range, holding Ty Williams to 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting. 

After a 17-17 tie early, Virginia State went on a 10-0 run late in the first half, capped by a Lambert three-pointer, to take a 27-17 lead. The Trojans entered halftime with an 11-point cushion, aided by 14 points from the bench. 

The second half saw Virginia State extend the lead to 57-43, then a 6-0 run pushed the margin to 63-43 with 8:38 remaining. The Firebirds closed slightly, but the Trojans cruised to the final 82-64 score, with non-starters contributing 17 more points after intermission. 

Virginia State shot well from three-point range, making seven of 15 attempts, and never trailed in the game. The team also held a 43-33 advantage on the boards, tallied seven blocks and got six rebounds each from Wimbush and Davian Coleman.