NORMAL, Ill. – For the second consecutive game, Norfolk State went into a packed opposing arena and faced the task of holding onto a slim lead in the final minutes. And for the second consecutive game, the Spartans delivered down the stretch.
 
Jamarii Thomas fueled Norfolk State (7-3) with a career-high 31 points on Saturday night at the Horton Field House, leading the Spartans to a 64-58 road victory over Illinois State (6-4).
 
In addition to his scoring output, Thomas registered six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in a career-high 39 minutes of action. Allen Betrand tallied 12 points to round out Norfolk State's double-figure scorers, while Kuluel Mading led the Spartans on the glass with seven rebounds.
 
The Spartans made it clear they were unfazed by the loud, intimate atmosphere from the game's opening tip, starting the game with a 9-1 run. Thomas opened the scoring with a highlight-worthy stepback 3-pointer, before Bladen and Thomas added inside scores within quick succession.
 
Illinois State slowed down the burst with a pair of free throws, followed by a scoring drought from both squads. Thomas ended the stretch with a 3-pointer off Nyzaiah Chambers' offensive rebound.
 
Tyrese Jenkins pushed Norfolk State's lead to double digits with a nothing-but-net 3-pointer, but Illinois State responded with eight consecutive points to pull within five. Jenkins knocked down his second long ball of the evening moments later.
 
The Spartans maintained a slim advantage, which dwindled to three in the final minutes of the first half. Thomas drained a turnaround jumper, before Betrand converted a hook shot to help NSU go into the break with a 27-22 advantage.
 
Back-to-back ISU baskets immediately cut the lead to one, getting the crowd back into the ballgame. After a quiet first half, however, Christian Ings sparked the Spartans with a mid-range jumper, followed by a deep shot with a foul for a four-point play.
 
The swing pushed Norfolk State ahead by seven, but Johnny Kinziger provided a crucial 3-pointer for the Redbirds a couple of minutes later. Thomas continued to get to the charity stripe, converting his free throw attempts to keep the Spartans ahead.
 
Betrand knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to answer an Illinois State jumper, before draining another shot from behind the arc a few minutes later. The points put Norfolk State ahead by nine, and Betrand kept the hot streak going with a turnaround jumper soon after.
 
After Illinois State pulled within five, both teams went without a score for the next two minutes of action. Bladen scored in the paint to end the draught, giving Norfolk State a 55-48 lead with 1:37 remaining on the clock.
 
But the Redbirds weren't done yet. Kinziger knocked down 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions, one being a four-point play, to pull Illinois State within two.
 
The Spartans turned to Thomas at the line, who delivered a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach. The junior guard shot 15-of-17 (88.3 percent) from the charity stripe on Saturday, making him 26-of-28 (92.9 percent) at the free throw line in his last three games.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Jamarii Thomas recorded a career-high 31 points on Saturday, adding six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block
• Thomas shot 15-of-17 (88.3 percent) from the free throw line
• Allen Betrand tallied 12 points, one rebound, and one block
• Kuluel Mading led NSU on the glass with seven rebounds, also recording two blocks
• Norfolk State shot 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) from behind the arc and 21-of-26 (80.8 percent) at the free throw line
• The Spartans forced 17 ISU turnovers
• NSU shot 18-of-50 (36.0 percent) from the floor, holding Illinois State to 16-of-51 (31.4 percent)

News & Notes

• Norfolk State improved to 7-3 with the victory
• Illinois State dropped to 6-4 with the loss
• Saturday marked the second edition of Illinois State's "Return to Horton" series, playing the game at the Horton Field House, the team's former home court over three decades ago.
• The victory marked Norfolk State's first-ever against Illinois State, now trailing the all-time series 2-1
• Jamarii Thomas knocked down 15 free throws on Saturday, marking the sixth time in program history a Norfolk State player has made 15 or more free throws
• Norfolk State improved to 65-6 under head coach Robert Jones when holding opponents to under 35.0 percent shooting

 
UP NEXT
 
After facing Illinois State, NSU heads to the Empire State for a pair of matchups at Stony Brook (Dec. 13) and Hofstra (Dec. 16).
 
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