Staff report

SALISBURY — The bad news for the CIAA: Perennial national contender Virginia Union is still very good.

The Panthers rolled into New Trent Gym here Saturday afternoon and ran away with a 106-61 victory over Livingstone. The game was never close as Virginia Union (9-1 overall, 2-0 CIAA) jumped out to a 27-12 lead after one quarter.

Livingstone (5-5, 0-1) was without its leading scorer, Zena Lovette, for all but two minutes of the game. The quick junior guard, who averages 23 points per game, sat out most of the game (non-injury) and didn’t score.

Junior forward Kyala Searcy tried to pick up the slack for the Blue Bears. Searcy scored 20 points, six above her average, but Jade Porter (11 points) was the only other Livingstone player in double figures.

The Panthers connected on 55 percent of their shots from the floor (41-of-74), including 8-of-21 from the 3-point arc. VUU also out-rebounded the Blue Bears, 45-33, and forced 34 Livingstone turnovers.

VUU scored another 27 points in the second period for a 54-23 halftime advantage. Things got even worse for Livingstone in the third period, getting outscored 34-18. That made the score 88-41, heading into the final period.

Jayda Luckie led the Panthers with 25 points, hitting 5-of-9 three-point attempts. Rachel Pecota had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Alexis Johnson almost matched her effort with 17 points and nine boards. Shameka McNeill added 14 points.

Livingstone returns to action on Monday at 5:30 p.m., hosting Lincoln University in another conference game.

VIRGINIA UNION (106) — Shameka McNeill 14, Shareka McNeill 8, Spivey 5, Carter 8, Pecota 17, Luckie 25, McKinney 10, Evans, Daniel, Sutton, Denkins, Johnson 17, Wynn, Nelson 2.

LIVINGSTONE (61) — Green 8, Galay, Bradley 8, Searcy 20, Terry 2, Perkins 2, Lovette, Robinson 6, Bland 1, Foote 3, Porter 11, Ennis.

Virginia Union   27   27   34   18 — 106

Livingstone         12   11    18   20 — 61