NORFOLK, Va. – Terrance Jones recorded his first-ever 20-point game a couple of weeks ago at Morgan State. The senior guard added another to his resume on Saturday and pulled out a win to go with it this time around.
 
Jones logged 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting against South Carolina State (9-12, 3-3 MEAC), leading the Spartans (15-8, 5-1) to a 67-65 overtime victory at Echols Hall. Brian Moore Jr. added 18 points and three rebounds.
 
South Carolina State opened the game hungry, jumping out to a 7-2 advantage. Moore got to the rim for a contact layup, but a dunk by Bulldogs forward Davion Everett pushed SCSU ahead 12-4.
 
Jones converted inside for two points, sparking an 8-0 run by the Spartans that gave Norfolk State its first lead of the afternoon. Omar Croskey stopped the swing with a 3-pointer, before South Carolina State put together an eight-point run of its own to regain control.
 
Jones continued his strong first half by hitting two tough shots before the break, closing the halftime gap to 26-22.
 
Ings helped the Spartans get going in the second half, knocking down Norfolk State's first 3-pointer of the day. Jones reached double figures with a triple a few minutes later, pulling the Spartans within three points.
 
After a couple minutes of hard-nosed defense by both sides, Moore knocked down a jumper and driving layup within a short span to push Norfolk State ahead 36-35.
 
Norfolk State received a crucial boost from a local freshman. Melo Baines checked into the game midway through the second half, immediately recording two scores to give Norfolk State a four-point advantage.
 
Moore put on a slashing clinic in the game's last five minutes, getting to the basket at will to earn trips to the free throw line. The graduate guard knocked down eight freebies across a 60-second span, giving Norfolk State a 49-44 lead.
 
The Spartans held a two-point advantage going into the final minute of regulation, but an Everett layup with 18 seconds on the clock tied the game 54-54. Moore went to the hoop in the final seconds looking to close out the game but picked up an offensive foul that sent it to overtime.
 
Jones made an acrobatic layup as Norfolk State went ahead early in overtime, but 3-pointers from Wilson Dublinsky and Mitchell Taylor pushed the Bulldogs ahead by one with just over a minute remaining.
 
After earning a trip to the free throw line to give Norfolk State the lead, Jones made another huge play with 15 seconds remaining. The guard drove to the basket with the shot clock winding down, scoring at the rim with a foul for one more.
 
The shot put the game out of reach, as South Carolina State unsuccessfully attempted to will a comeback in the final seconds.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Terrance Jones led the Spartans with a career-high 20 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-5 from the free throw line
• Brian Moore Jr. added 18 points, knocking down 8-of-9 free throws
• Mitchell Taylor paced South Carolina State with 15 points
• Jaylani Darden logged five points and a game-high nine rebounds
• Norfolk State shot 2-of-16 from behind the arc
• NSU led for just 26.5 percent of the game, while South Carolina State controlled the lead for 65.0 percent

News & Notes

• Norfolk State improved to 15-8 with the win, 5-1 in MEAC play
• South Carolina State dropped to 9-12, 3-3 in the MEAC
• Norfolk State now leads the all-time series with South Carolina State 34-18
• Saturday's win marked Norfolk State's 15^th straight against South Carolina State
• The game marked Norfolk State's first overtime contest since a 71-67 win over South Carolina State on Feb. 17, 2024

 
UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State faces a tight turnaround before playing in front of a national audience. The Spartans take on North Carolina Central at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, televised on ESPNU.
 
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