BALTIMORE, Md. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team fought back from a double-digit deficit in the game's final minutes on Monday but could not overcome a hot Morgan State shooting day in a 78-74 loss at Hill Field House.
 
Terrance Jones led the Spartans (12-8, 3-1 MEAC) with a career-high 20 points, while Sin'Cere McMahon scored all 13 of his points in the second half. Kameron Hobbs played all 40 minutes for the Bears (8-12, 2-2), recording 23 points and eight rebounds.
 
Jalen Myers scored the Spartans' first basket of the game, before Jones knocked down four free throws in a span of two possessions. Myers knocked down a jumper from a Jones' pass on Norfolk State's next trip down the floor, continuing the connection.
 
Jones drained a 3-pointer to give the Spartans a six-point lead, but a 12-2 Bear run from there flipped the script. Chris Fields Jr. got on the scoreboard with a slick turnaround jumper, but back-to-back baskets from Morgan State pushed the home squad ahead 23-17.
 
Jaylani Darden knocked down a 3-pointer to get the Spartans back on their feet, before McMahon found Kuluel Mading for a dunk from a flashy no-look pass. A pair of free throws by Fields on Norfolk State's next possession put NSU back in front, 24-23.
 
The back-and-forth first half continued, as Morgan State knocked down a 3-pointer to retake the lead. Jones scored on a second-chance effort, before finding Mading for another dunk a couple of minutes later.
 
Morgan State hit another triple late in the first half, but Brian Moore Jr. converted from mid-range with five seconds remaining. The basket gave NSU a boost, but the Spartans went to the locker room trailing 33-30 – their first halftime deficit of conference play.
 
The Bears built their lead up to double digits quickly in the second half, maintaining their success from behind the arc. Jones temporarily lit a spark for the Spartans, though, coming away with a steal-and-slam moments before a 3-point play on the fast break.
 
Morgan State pushed the gap back to 11 with several tough baskets. McMahon made his first 3-pointer of the day at a timely moment, helping the Spartans chip away at the deficit.
 
Trailing by seven with under two and a half minutes remaining, McMahon made another 3-pointer to breathe more life into the Norfolk State comeback. The Spartans forced a turnover on the next play, resulting in an easy layup for McMahon at the other end.
 
The Winthrop transfer continued to will the Spartans back. McMahon stepped into a 3-pointer with confidence to even the game at 73-73 with a minute left, the first tied score since the first half.
 
Morgan State responded on the other end of the floor, hitting a mid-range jump shot to regain a slight advantage. Fields made a free throw on the Spartans' next possession, cutting the gap to one.
 
The Bears missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving Norfolk State a chance to take the lead. Morgan State thwarted three Spartan field goal attempts in the final seconds on a contact-heavy sequence, securing the defensive rebound with one second remaining to close out the game.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Terrance Jones led the Spartans with a career high 20 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-8 from behind the arc
• Sin'Cere McMahon added 13 points, all in the second half
• Brian Moore Jr. also scored in double figures with 11 points
• Morgan State led 33-30 at halftime
• The Spartans shot 11-of-21 from the free throw line (52.4 percent), their worst showing from the charity stripe this season
• Norfolk State scored 26 second chance points, holding Morgan State to 10
• Monday's game featured six lead changes and five ties

News & Notes

• Norfolk State dropped to 12-8 with the loss, 3-1 in MEAC play
• Morgan State improved to 8-12 with the win, 2-2 in the MEAC
• NSU guard Terrance Jones scored a career-high 20 points  

UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State takes a brief break from MEAC competition, hosting Washington Adventist at Echols Hall on Jan. 20. Tipping off at 5 p.m., the matchup will mark the final nonconference game on Norfolk State's 2024-25 regular season schedule.
 
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