ATLANTA, Ga. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team dropped the opener of the Chris Paul HBCU Classic, falling 80-68 to Grambling State on Thursday evening at Gateway Arena. The Spartans move to 4-8 on the season, while the Tigers improve to 4-6.
Elijah Jamison led Norfolk State with a career-high 26 points, shooting 10-of-21 from the floor while adding six rebounds. Anthony McComb III and Devon Ellis also scored in double figures, contributing 12 points apiece.
Grambling State jumped out to an early advantage, scoring the first nine points of the contest before the Spartans got on the board with a putback from Ellis. That basket sparked an 8-3 run by NSU, cutting the deficit to 11-8 with 13:37 remaining in the first half. Norfolk State's offense then went cold, as the Tigers rattled off an 18-2 run to extend their lead to 29-10.
The Spartans closed the opening half with a late push, scoring 11 points over the final four minutes to head into the break trailing 38-21. McComb accounted for five points during the stretch with a three-pointer and two free throws, while Jamison, Ellis, and Jaquel Morris each added a basket.
Both teams traded baskets to open the second half, scoring 10 points apiece over the first four minutes. Norfolk State followed with a 9-7 run, highlighted by five points from Jamison and baskets from Jordan Leaks and Adrean Newton, trimming the deficit to 54-40.
Grambling responded with a decisive 16-7 run to push its lead to 70-47. The Spartans showed resilience late, closing the game on a 17-6 run to cut the margin to 76-64, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome as Grambling State secured the 80-68 victory.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Final Score: Grambling State 80, Norfolk State 68
- Elijah Jamison: 26 points, three assists, two steals
- Additional double figure scorers: Anthony McComb III (12), Devon Ellis (12)
- Ellis and Leaks led the team with seven rebounds each
- Norfolk State shot 40.9 percent from the field (27-of-66), 20.0 percent from three-point range (3-of-15), and 44.0 percent from the free throw line (11-of-25).
NEWS & NOTES
- Norfolk State falls to 4-8
- Head coach Robert Jones sits ten wins away from career victory No. 250
UP NEXT
Norfolk State will face Jackson State in game two of the 2025 Chris Paul HBCU Challenge tomorrow, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Fans can watch the game on ESPNU or follow live stats on statbroadcast.
