BLUEFIELD, Va. – Bluefield University men's basketball delivered its most complete performance of the season Saturday afternoon, pulling away early and never looking back in a 99–65 victory over Spartanburg Methodist inside the Dome. The win marked the Rams' second of the season and capped a dominant home showing on both ends of the floor.
Bluefield set the tone from the opening tip, responding to Spartanburg Methodist's first basket with a quick 10–3 run fueled by Elijah White and Ke'Shaun Tonsall. White knocked down an early three and followed with a pair of finishes in the paint, while DJ McDonald scored twice inside to give the Rams control. The surge continued as McDonald buried a three, then threw down a dunk in transition to stretch the margin to 21–8 just seven minutes into the contest.
The Rams' defense smothered the Pioneers throughout the first half, forcing contested shots and limiting Spartanburg Methodist to 31 percent shooting. Bluefield capitalized with pace and ball movement, as Tyler Owens, Chase Ragin-Moore, and Shaft Clark all contributed baskets during a stretch that saw the lead balloon to 17. A late layup from McDonald pushed the advantage to 51–31 at halftime, as BU shot nearly 63 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
Any thought of a second-half comeback was quickly erased. The Rams opened the period with strong interior play from Clark and Danny Alford, followed by a barrage of three-pointers from Tyler Suber, Pharoah Fields, and Zac Hall. Bluefield extended the lead past 30 midway through the half and continued to rotate bodies without losing momentum.
BU finished the game shooting 53.3 percent from the floor and 40 percent from beyond the arc, while holding Spartanburg Methodist to just 30 percent shooting for the contest. The Rams also dominated the glass, 55–36, and turned defense into offense with 10 fast-break points and 17 second-chance points.
McDonald led the way with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, adding a block and strong interior presence. White finished with 11 points, three assists, and two steals, and notably scored his 1,500th career point during the first half. Tonsall added 10 points, while Clark chipped in 12 on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting. Owens contributed nine points on three triples, Fields added eight, and the Rams received scoring from 11 different players overall.
Bluefield (2–10, 2–5 AAC) will close out the 2025 calendar year December 18, when the Rams travel to King University for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
