NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State University men's basketball team extended its winning streak to three games with a dominant 103-76 victory over Coppin State on Saturday inside Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. With the win, NSU improved to 10-12 overall and 3-2 in MEAC play, while Coppin State dropped to 3-19 (1-4 MEAC). 

Anthony McComb III led the Spartans with a career-high 29 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. He also added six assists, three rebounds, and three steals. 

Three other Spartans finished in double figures, led by Devon Ellis with 19 points, Elijah Jamison with 16, and Jaquel Morris with 11. Morris paced the team on the glass with eight rebounds, while Jamison went 10-of-13 from the free throw line, both career-high marks. 

Norfolk State opened the scoring with a pair of free throws from Morris before Khali Horton knocked down a three-pointer to give Coppin State an early 3-2 advantage. The Spartans answered with an 8-2 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Adrean Newton and Jordan Leaks, to take a 10-5 lead. After the Eagles trimmed the deficit to 12-9, NSU responded with a 9-4 surge capped by a Dian Wright-Forde triple, forcing Coppin State to call timeout trailing 21-15 with 11 minutes remaining in the half. 

Coming out of the break, the Spartans extended their advantage with a 14-3 run fueled by eight points from McComb and five from Ellis, building a 35-18 lead at the eight-minute mark. Coppin State responded with a 13-8 stretch to cut the margin to 43-31 with four minutes left in the half. Norfolk State closed the period on a 6-5 run to take a 49-36 lead into the locker room. 

The Spartans opened the second half with an 11-9 run to push their lead to 60-45 at the first media timeout with 15:49 remaining. NSU later extended the margin to 20 points at 75-55 following a 15-10 run, with Jamison accounting for 10 of the Spartans' points during the stretch, including seven free throws. 

Norfolk State continued to apply pressure on both ends, holding Coppin State to just four points over a four-minute span while scoring 11 of its own to take an 84-60 lead at the under-eight media timeout. The Spartans built their largest lead of the game at the five-minute mark when McComb converted a pair of free throws to make it 95-66. 

NSU closed out the contest by eclipsing the 100-point mark on a Morris layup and added eight more points down the stretch. Coppin State scored 10 points in the final four minutes, setting the final score at 103-76. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• FINAL: Norfolk State 103, Coppin State 76 
• Anthony McComb III: 29 points, six assists, three rebounds, three steals, 10-16 FG, 6-11 3PTFG, 3-4 FT 
• McComb surpassed his previous career high of 26 points, finishing with a game-high 29. 
• Other Spartans in double figures included Devon Ellis (19), Elijah Jamison (16) and Jaquel Morris (11).
• TEAM STATS 
  • FG%: NSU 57.1%, CSU 46.4% 
  • 3PT Made: NSU 14, CSU 6 
  • 3PT%: NSU 53.8%, CSU 28.6% 
  • FT: NSU 33-of-43 (76.7%), CSU 18-of-38 (47.4%) 
  • Rebounds: NSU 37, CSU 29 
  • Assists: NSU 19, CSU 9 
  • Fast Break Points: NSU 30, CSU 17 
  • Points off Turnovers: NSU 27, CSU 20 

NEWS & NOTES 

• Head Coach Robert Jones is four wins away from earning his 250th career coaching victory. 
• The 103-76 win over Coppin State marked Coach Jones' first Division I victory in which his team scored 100 or more points. 
• The 27-point margin marked the Spartans' largest conference victory since Feb. 13, 2023, when Norfolk State defeated Delaware State, 97-58. 
• Norfolk State's 33 made free throws tied for the fifth-most in program history. The Spartans recorded 37 free throws just two games ago at S.C. State, which ranks third all-time in program history. 
• The Spartans have won four of their last five games and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. 
• Norfolk State has scored 80 or more points in each of its last three contests. 
• Elijah Jamison is now 66 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone for his career. 
• Anthony McComb III has recorded 25-plus points in back-to-back games and has topped the 20-point mark in three of the last five outings. 

UP NEXT 
The Spartans return to action on Monday, January 26, when they host the Bears of Morgan State University in MEAC conference action. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.