WILMINGTON, N.C. – Dana Tate Jr. scored a career-high 17 points and Jalen Hawkins added 16 to highlight a huge performance from the Norfolk State bench as the Spartans won their fourth game in a row Wednesday night, 74-69, at UNC Wilmington.

The Spartans (9-1) shook off foul trouble to a number of their starters and withstood every Seahawk push to extend the program's best start since 1995-96 and come up with their third win in four days. They did it in part thanks to 40 points from their bench, 33 from the duo of Tate and Hawkins.

NSU showed no ill effects from its cross-country trip from winning the HBCU Challenge in Phoenix on Monday. The Spartans started out hot, hitting five of their first six shots from the field. Both Christian Ings and Joe Bryant Jr. hit 3-pointers in the early going as the Spartans led 15-5 five minutes into the game.

But NSU missed 15 of its next 16 shots as the Seahawks rallied. A 17-2 run by UNCW helped the Seahawks take the lead for the first time. A 3-pointer by Jamahri Harvey capped the spurt, which put the Seahawks ahead 29-21.

This time it was NSU's turn to make a run. The Spartans countered with a 13-4 burst, which treys by both Ings and Tate and a slam dunk plus free throw by Chris Ford that gave NSU the lead again, at 34-33. James Baker hit a free throw with five seconds left in the half to help the Seahawks forge a 34-all tie headed into the locker room.

Hawkins nailed two 3-pointers off the bench early in the second half to help the Spartans regain the advantage. The second put NSU up 44-38.

That would be the largest lead of the half for either team. UNCW responded with an 8-1 push, capped by a Shykeim Phillips triple that gave his team a 46-45 lead with 13:47 left. That was typical of a second half that saw eight lead changes and six ties.

Tate began to assert himself soon thereafter. His two free throws with 6:10 remaining gave NSU a 56-52 edge. The Seahawks then scored nine of the next 11, capped by another Harvey trey, to put the hosts up three (61-58).

But the Spartans came up with the big plays later. Kris Bankston, who missed much of the second half with four fouls, hit a hook shot to push NSU ahead 66-65 with two minutes to play. After Mike Okauru scored to put the Seahawks up one, Bryant – who also missed key minutes with fouls – drove for a layup that gave the Spartans the lead for good at 68-67 with 46 seconds remaining.

UNCW had three chances at the go-ahead field goal at the other end but came up empty. Hawkins got the rebound and hit two free throws with 21 seconds left. NSU then forced a UNCW turnover, and Bryant added two more free throws to seal the deal for NSU.

"That was a gutsy team performance highlighted by our bench play. We believe we have a deep team and it showed today," NSU head coach Robert Jones said. "Dana Tate and Jalen Hawkins provided a huge boost for us tonight. To go into a hostile environment and come out with a 'W' is amazing."

Tate added nine rebounds and Nyzaiah Chambers also had a career-best nine for the Spartans. Ings chipped in with 14 points, six assists and two steals. Bryant had nine points and Bankston eight.

NSU held UNCW to 39 percent shooting and hit 85 percent (22-of-26) of its free throws.

Okauru led UNCW with 18 points.

The Spartans look to stay hot Saturday when they play Hampton for the second time in less than a week. This matchup is at HU's Convocation Center at 5:30 p.m.