Despite a 24 point effort from Myles Thomas, the Tuskegee University men's basketball team could not overcome hot shooting at Valdosta State falling 93-81 in its season opener. The Golden Tigers would make up some ground in the second half, but it wouldn't be enough to get past VSU.

Thomas paced TU shooting 7 of 10 from the field including four three pointers and 6 of 7 from the free throw line. The Golden Tigers shot 50.9 percent on 29 of 57, while going 6 of 13 from range and 17 of 24 from the line.  The Golden Tigers had 27 rebounds with 11 assists, 13 turnovers, one block and six steals.

A triple from junior Darrell Jones gave VSU an early 6-2 lead as Tuskegee battled back to tie it at seven with a triple from Myles Thomas and a bucket from Joshua Culver. VSU built the lead back to five on a tip-in from senior Greg Zuppas at 14-9 with 16:15 left in the half. 

Back-to-back triples from Tuskegee gave the Golden Tigers their first lead of the game as Thomas drained his second trifecta of the game for a 15-14. A pair of baskets from Goree Venable gave the lead back to VSU as it wouldn't relinquish the rest of the half as the Blazers built the lead to nine on a steal and dunk from graduate Desmond DeRamus for a 27-18 lead with 10:47 left in the half.

Riley Hamilton finished as TU's second leading scorer with 17 points on an efficient 7 of 10 shooting from the field including one three pointer. Cam Grepke added 12 points while Gregg Boyd, Joshua Culver and Daniel Roach all chipped in nine points apiece. 

VSU pushed the lead to double-digits with a triple from senior Clay Guillozet at 36-25 with 6:49 left and later, DeRamus buried a triple for the largest lead of the half and a 44-30 lead with 4:10 remaining. Out of a timeout with less than three seconds left, Venable scored inside off an assist from graduate Beau Justice for a 50-37 lead at intermission.

Early in the second half, VSU was unable to extend its lead past 14, but a layup from Jones and a triple from Justice sparked a 12-3 run capped with a jumper in the paint from junior Bryce Smith for a 74-52 lead with 12:08 left. TU would cut the deficit to 14 on a three point-play from Cam Grepke with 5:47 left, while a tip-in brought the Golden Tigers within 11 at 86-75 with 4:38 left, however, it would be as close at the team would get. Skegee pulled closer in the second half in points in the paint for a 49-42 VSU lead, while also cutting the margin in points off turnovers with 11 second half points off VSU miscues for an 18-13 VSU lead. 

The Golden Tigers will face AUM on Tuesday Nov. 20 in a double-header with the women. Live coverage on the Tuskegee Digital Network starts at 5:30 p.m.