ETTRICK, Virginia – The Livingstone men's basketball team fell to Virginia State University Wednesday evening in the Multipurpose Center, 84-65.

The Blue Bears drop to (9-11, 5-6) in the season, while Virginia State University improves to (14-7, 9-3).  

Livingstone was led by Khyree Temple with 24 points. Detionne Leach finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. 

Virginia State University was paced by Francis Fitzgerald with 18 points. Terrence Hunter-Whitfield followed with 17 points. Tremere Brown finished with a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Robert Smith also finished with 10 points. 

The Blue Bears and the Trojans battled for the first eight minutes of the game. The Trojans then went on to take an 11-point lead after Stephon Roberts made both of his free throws after a foul by De'Marr McCrae. 

A three-pointer by Khyree Temple cut the Trojans' lead to six with 8:52 left in the first half, 23-17. A dunk by Francis Fitzgerald extended the Trojans' lead to 13 with 5:56 to go, 35-22. 

A layup by Khyree Temple cut the Trojans' lead to under 10 with 2:54 left in the first half, 35-26. A foul by Pharoah Lassiter sent Terrence Hunter-Whitfield to the line for two. Hunter-Whitfield made both to extend the Trojans' lead to 14 with 1:13 left in the half, 41-27. Detionne Leach closed out the first half with a jumper only putting the Blue Bears down by 11 at halftime, 41-30.

The Trojans took a 16-point lead while only allowing the Blue Bears to score two points in the first three minutes. A jumper inside the paint by Arion Broadnax put the Blue Bears within nine with 14:17 left in the second half, 50-41. 

The Trojans took a 20-point lead at the nine-minute mark with a three-pointer by Francis Fitzgerald, 65-45.

The Blue Bears never got back within under 20 until the end. Paul Tako hit a jumper with :21 left to cut the Trojans lead to under 20. 

Livingstone would end the game shooting 40.0% (24-of-60). Virginia State would make 31 of 74 overall for 41.9 percent. 

The Trojans shot 53.8% from the free-throw line (14 out of 26). The Blue Bears went 73.7% from the free-throw line 14-of-19.

Virginia State outrebounded Livingstone, 47-33.

The Blue Bears will travel to Claflin University Saturday, February 4. The first tip is set for 3:00 p.m.