BALTIMORE, Md. – Despite a 20-point performance from senior Joe Bryant Jr., the Norfolk State men's basketball team dropped only their second MEAC game of the season with an 83-74 loss to Morgan State on Monday evening in Baltimore. Redshirt Senior Jalen Hawkins added 18 points while redshirt senior Kris Bankston also reached double-digits with 12 points.

It took two and a half minutes into the game before NSU scored their first points, a free throw by Hawkins with MSU leading 4-1. However it was the start of a 10-2 run by NSU over the next 2:21 which saw Hawkins score six and Bryant and redshirt junior Dana Tate Jr. each score two. After a quick basket by the Bears, Norfolk State score the next five points in less than a minute to take a five point lead with 13:28 left in the first half.

MSU pulled within two at 20-18 but the Spartans used another 10-2 run to extend the spread to the biggest lead of the first half at 30-20 with just under eight minutes remaining. The Bears pulled within five points through the rest of the first half, but the Spartans once again made it a 10-point game with 26 seconds left.

A layup by De'Torrion Ware with two second remaining pulled the Bears within eight at the break. MSU lead for just 2:19 during the first half but had the edge over the Spartans in field goal percentage at 54.8% - 53.6%. The Bears did not attempt a free-throw in the first half while NSU went 9-11 from the charity line.

Both teams started with a defensive battle in the second half with each squad scoring only seven points in the first six minutes. Morgan State then went on their first big run of the game over the next 4:11, outscoring the Spartans 15-6 to take a 58-57 lead, their first since 4-3 in the first half.

The next 3:44 saw neither team have more than a two point lead with seven lead changes and two ties. Hawkins three with 6:52 left in the game was the last lead the Spartans had as the Bears responded with a three of their own by Ware with 6:36 remaining to take the lead they did not give up.

There was a three minute period from 5:16 left to 2:15 remaining that neither team scored where Morgan state went 1-6 from the floor and NSU went 1-4. The Bears scored a pair of free throws with two second left to push the final score to 85-74.

Unlike the first, MSU went 14-17 from the line in the second while the Spartans only went 8-10. Bryant's 20 points was a game-high while both Tate and Lagio Grantsaan each had the game-high eight rebounds.

The Spartans (18-6, 9-2 MEAC) return home for their final three regular season games, beginning with a visit from S.C. State on Saturday. The contest with the Bulldogs gets underway at 6 p.m. from inside Echols Hall.