Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. — Michael Deloach (Rocky Mount, N.C.) scored a game-high 18 points to lead four Norfolk State players in double figures, and the Spartans tallied their highest regulation point total in eight years in a 97-71 win over South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon at Echols Hall.
The win was the sixth in the last seven games for NSU (8-9, 5-1 MEAC), which notched its most lopsided win since a 28-point win over Morgan State in January of 2006. The last time the Spartans scored at least 97 points in regulation was in a 102-86 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in February of 2000.
Tony Murphy (Paterson, N.J.) scored 17 points, Rashid Cann (Greensboro, N.C.) a career-high 14 and Corey Lyons (Bronx, N.Y.) also added 14 for the Spartans, who shot 49 percent from the floor and committed a season-low 10 turnovers.
The Bulldogs (6-13, 2-3) held an 11-7 lead at the 15:31 mark of the first half after a free throw by Chris Miller-Williams. But NSU outscored the Bulldogs 40-15 the rest of the half, with Murphy pouring in 14 first-half points on four 3-pointers and two free throws. The Spartans committed just two turnovers in the first half, none in the opening 16:24.
NSU claimed its first 30-point lead of the night at 59-28 after a fast-break alley-oop slam by Lyons off a feed from Murphy with 16:35 left in the game. The Spartans took at 35-point lead at 79-44 after a breakaway steal and windmill dunk by Raphael Hall (Chesapeake, Va.) with 8:28 left in the game, and 30 seconds later went up by 36, the most of the night, on the last of Deloach's two 3-pointers.
A season-high 12 players scored for NSU and all 14 in uniform played. Cann had four of his team's season-best 19 assists, and Brandon Monroe (Raeford, N.C.) matched his career-high with nine rebounds. Kevin Worsley (Chesapeake, Va.) played a strong all-around game, tallying seven points, three rebounds, three blocks and four steals.
Carrio Bennett scored 15 points, Jessie Burton 14 and David Cobb 11 for the Bulldogs, who were out-rebounded 44-30 and had 18 turnovers.
NSU hosts Winston-Salem State at 8 p.m. Monday in a game that does not count in the MEAC standings.
