Bluefield State leaned on defense and rebounding to defeat Winston-Salem State 65-55 on Tuesday at CFG Bank Arena, advancing to the CIAA Men’s basketball quarterfinals against No. 2 South seed Claflin.
Head coach Luke D’Alessio said his team understood the moment.
“That was a great win for our program,” D’Alessio said. “WSSU plays really tough. It was a hard-fought victory. There was nothing easy about that game.”
Bluefield State controlled the glass, outrebounding WSSU 34-21, including 13 offensive rebounds. The advantage in possessions proved decisive in a postseason setting where execution tightens.
“Defense is the staple of our program,” D’Alessio said. “We’re a half-court defensive team, and we’re a half-court execution team. That’s the way you’ve got to win and be successful here.”
D’Alessio framed the tournament as a reset opportunity.
“The first thing I put on the board: this is the preseason,” he said. “No matter what you did in the regular season… it’s all new.”
WSSU interim head coach Tony Jones, guiding the Rams after a late-season coaching change, pointed directly to the rebounding margin.
“Defensively, the rebounding is what killed us,” Jones said. “We got out-rebounded by 13 rebounds, so that’s really where the game was.”
Jones noted that the teams were comparable in shot-making, but the extra possessions made the difference.
“They had 11 more possessions,” he said. “Every possession counts, especially in the postseason.”
Despite the loss, Jones remained appreciative of his team’s effort.
“I’m extremely proud of how the guys played tonight,” he said. “They didn’t give up. Played to the very last second.”
Bluefield State now turns its attention to Claflin as it looks to continue its CIAA run. The two teams are slated to meet in the quarterfinals.