Box Score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — C.J. Reed's 16 points led the host Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, and a slow start put Norfolk State in a big early hole it could not escape in a 77-61 loss on Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium.

The loss was the school-record 11th in a row for the Spartans (1-12, 0-2 MEAC), who were led by 17 points from guard Michael Deloach (Rocky Mount, N.C.).

Jarrell Thomas had 13 points, Alexander Starling 12 and Kevin Dukes 11 for the Wildcats (9-6, 2-0), who shot 55.6 percent from the floor while holding NSU to 43.1 percent.

The Spartans never led and were tied just once, at 2-2. BCU pulled ahead for good with six straight points and maintained a 12-6 lead after a layup by NSU guard Aleek Pauline (Jamaica, N.Y.) with 13:33 remaining in the half. But the Wildcats went on a 17-0 run and held the Spartans without a field goal for the next six and a half minutes. A Joseph Dorsett-Jeffreys (Bronx, N.Y.) layup ended the run and got NSU within 29-8 with 7:03 left in the period, but the damage had been done.

The Wildcats led by as many as 24 points in the first half, on three different occasions. NSU faced a 39-20 halftime deficit after shooting just 9-of-23 (39 percent) in the opening stanza.

The Spartans never got closer than 12 points in the second half.

Deloach was 8-of-15 from the floor and had two steals. Pauline, Dorsett-Jeffreys and Christian Morris (Bronx, N.Y.) added nine points apiece. Pauline also contributed seven rebounds and six assists, while Kyle O'Quinn (Jamaica, N.Y.) had team highs of eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

NSU continues its MEAC road swing through Florida with a 7:30 p.m. game at Florida A&M on Monday night.