In a game that featured a variety of momentum-swinging plays, nine lead changes, key contributions off the bench for both teams and the most energy CFG Bank Arena saw all week, Virginia State rode a late 12-0 run to the CIAA men’s basketball championship, denying Bluefield State by a final score of 71-64 on Saturday.

Bluefield State scored just two points in the final 5:42, with the Trojans ending on a 14-2 run.

“I’m really proud of these young men,” Virginia State head coach Lonnie Blow said. “Winning this tournament is special, just extremely special.”

Jacob Cooper was the engine for Virginia State with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Bowie native Jared White added 11 points and five rebounds, with five points coming in that key 12-0 run. Jayson Harris chipped in nine points and 12 rebounds, and Davian Coleman added 12 rebounds and three blocks off the bench.

Cooper’s starring efforts may have been expected, but White, Coleman and Harris — among others — delivered performances that far exceeded their season averages. Harris averaged 4.2 rebounds per game but brought in 12 in the title game, a season high. Coleman played the most minutes he’d played since Nov. 30, recording a season-high 12 rebounds and matching his season-best three blocks.

White, benefiting from a large contingent of Virginia State fans and playing barely 30 minutes from his hometown, played nearly 28 minutes, a number he reached only twice during the season. He scored seven points late in the contest, with his final five coming in the late 12-0 run.

“Jared White, he came a long way from the start of the season,” Cooper said. “He has a lot of heart. He believes in himself. Coach has to kick him out of the gym. He does a good job staying mentally focused.”

For Bluefield State, Terrell Williams finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists and Larry Howell came off the bench to add 15 points and five rebounds.

“Extremely proud of this group,” Bluefield head coach Devin Hoehn said. “We didn’t get after them in the press as much as I’d have liked. ... If you try and play a half-court came with Virginia State, it’s going to be a long day for you. They’re one of the biggest teams out there. We kind of got caught playing their game a little too much today.”

Bluefield State controlled the pace and flow early, earning the largest lead of the first half at 21-14. Willams notched 10 points in the first half, supported by eight apiece from Shainen Carter and Jordan Hinds.

Hinds, a senior from Florida, Bluefield’s all-time leading scorer, finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.

However, Virginia State responded with a 10-2 run in just over four minutes punctuated by a full-court dime from guard Clint Wright Jr. to forward Dajour Rucker, who laid it in for a transition bucket, giving the Trojans a 24-23 lead. Although the Trojans extended their advantage to five points, a Hinds jumper at the buzzer brought the margin back to one at 36-35 in favor of Virginia State.

“I thought we were really good defensively most of the night,” Blow said. “We didn’t give them any easy transition buckets. ... That was the No. 1 thing for us for our game plan.”

The second half was full of momentum swings. The Trojans maintained their slight lead for the first 10 minutes, but they couldn’t separate from a pesky Bluefield State squad. Howell cashed a 3-pointer for the underdogs to bring them within one at 49-48.

Bluefield, which averaged nearly 93 points per game, struggled on the perimeter, shooting 3-of-18 from beyond the arc. But its defense held up well.

“We were pretty disciplined in this tournament,” Hoehn said. “The press, especially the first two games, probably looked the best it’s looked.”

Bluefield State kept coming. Howell banged home another jumper to cut the deficit to 53-52, and reserve Darius Boben rose up on the defensive end for a huge block. Finally, with 7:46 to play, Bluefield State got the lead back, courtesy of a Hinds fadeaway jumper that prompted a Virginia State timeout. The Big Blue held the lead for a little over three minutes.

“When things go bad for us, we just hang in there. We stick together,” Blow said. “When [teams come back on us], we don’t panic.”

Then Virginia State took a page out of Bluefield’s book and got some big-time contributions off the bench. White drained a jumper and then, after a Bluefield bucket, sparked a 6-0 run with a layup in transition.

On the ensuing possession, reserve Jaedan Jefferson notched a steal and jammed home a monster dunk that sent the Virginia State faithful into a frenzy.

“Our fans showed up and showed out all week,” Blow noted.

That energy turned into a defensive stop, and Cooper then delivered another perfect pass to Jefferson, who went under the basket and finished with his left hand, pushing the Trojans to a 63-62 lead.

After a media timeout, Virginia State maintained momentum with a defensive stop. Cooper grabbed a critical offensive rebound, finding White at the top of the key for a 3-pointer that extended the advantage to four. Later, Wright poured in another triple, his third of the contest, which pushed the lead to 69-62, the Trojans’ largest of the game.

Virginia State claimed its first CIAA title since 2019 and heads to the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since 2020.