Virginia Union University basketball coach Tony Sheals says he is looking for “one shining moment” to reverse his squad’s downward spiral.

His Panthers may be down, but they’re not out, Sheals insists.

“What we’re not doing is giving up,” he said after 64-45 loss to Virginia State University in the 19th Annual Freedom Classic at the Richmond Coliseum.

It was VUU’s 10th straight loss, dropping the team to 4-13 overall and 0-7 in the CIAA in Sheals’ first season.

“The kids are battling. They’re playing hard. They’re doing what I ask them to do,” he said.

VUU dug in defensively at its end, but had few answers for VSU’s changing zone and man-to-man defenses.

The Panthers went nearly 10 minutes during the first half without scoring and finished 15 for 49, or 31 percent, from the field.

VUU led 15-9 with 10:08 to go in the first half. Before the Panthers scored again (at 0:30), VSU led 27-15.

D’Andre Bullard paced VUU scoring with a modest nine points. It’s highly unusual when a leading scorer doesn’t reach double digits.

Sheals says despite the losing streak, his goals haven’t changed.

“We can still win the CIAA North. We can still win the tournament,” he said.

“All we need is one shining moment, in one game, to turn it all around.”

VUU has nine games to play, counting the Jan. 21 date at Bowie State University, prior to the CIAA tournament Feb. 23 through 28 in Charlotte, N.C.

The Panthers’ next Barco-Stevens Hall home date is 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, when they take on Lincoln University.