Box Score ST. THOMAS, U.S.V.I - Chris McEachin scored 15 points to lead three Spartans in double figures, and Norfolk State won its first-ever game in the Paradise Jam by toppling Drexel 61-56 at the University of the Virgin Islands' Sports and Fitness Center on Friday afternoon.

Kyle O'Quinn added 11 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots, and guard Pendarvis Williams registered his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Spartans (2-1), who have won two in a row.

Damion Lee led Drexel (1-1) with 21 points.

NSU broke open a close game with a 13-4 spurt to end the first half and take a 28-18 lead going into the intermission. McEachin had 10 of his points in the first half and NSU held Drexel to 8-of-26 (31 percent) shooting in the stanza.

The Dragons, the preseason CAA favorites, chipped away at their deficit and took the first lead of the game at 32-31 on a Frantz Massenat (10 points) layup with 13:18 remaining in the game, which capped a 6-0 run. But the Spartans answered with a 13-1 run over the next six minutes to take their largest advantage of the game at 44-33 with 7:29 remaining in the game. O'Quinn, McEachin and Williams scored all the points in the run.

Drexel couldn't get closer than four the rest of the way. Lee hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left in the game to cut NSU's lead to 60-56, but Jamel Fuentes hit a free throw at the other end to finish off the Spartan victory.

For the second game in a row, defense was the story for NSU.  A game after holding Randolph to 37 percent shooting, the Spartans held Drexel to 39 percent shooting Friday, including just 23 percent (3-of-13) from 3-point range. NSU also held a 38-31 advantage on the boards, including a combined 22 from O'Quinn (12) and Williams (career-high 10).

“I thought we played great team defense throughout and we rebounded the ball well, which is a key against them,” NSU head coach Anthony Evans said. “They are a tough, talented team with a great coach, so this is a big win for our program.”

The win was NSU's first-ever at the Paradise Jam. The Spartans, making their second appearance at the tournament, went 0-3 in 2005 with losses to Wisconsin, Eastern Kentucky and Fordham en route to a sixth-place finish out of six teams.

The Spartans have Saturday off before facing TCU on Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern time (7 p.m. Atlantic/local time). The game will be simulcast by Fox College Sports and Fox Sports Net.