FAYETTEVILLE, NC —On a celebratory Senior Day at Capel Arena, where Fayetteville State honored its senior student‑athletes pregame, the Broncos fed off the energy of the home crowd and a dominant second‑half surge to defeat Johnson C. Smith 73–61 in CIAA play Saturday afternoon. The win moves FSU to 18–3 overall and 12–2 in the conference, while the Golden Bulls fall to 7–15 and 4–11 in league action.
The Broncos placed three players in double figures, led by Nyah Wilkins’ efficient 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting and a perfect 9-for-9 effort at the free‑throw line. Talia Trotter delivered another all‑around performance with 16 points, five rebounds, and five steals, while freshman sparkplug Nevaeh Colon came off the bench to add 15 points and three rebounds, including a momentum‑shifting trio of three‑pointers in the third quarter.
Fayetteville State needed every bit of that energy after a sluggish start left them trailing 15–10 after the opening period. Johnson C. Smith controlled the early pace behind the inside pairing of La’Niya Simes and Salote Franklin, who combined for 36 points and 24 rebounds on the afternoon. The Golden Bulls led by as many as nine in the second quarter, but Colon and Trotter ignited a 7–0 Broncos run that helped trim the halftime deficit to 30–26. — Everything changed after the break…