NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State's quest for the team's fifth MEAC Regular Season title of head coach Robert Jones' tenure took a slight delay on Saturday, as South Carolina State took down the Spartans 91-88 at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center.
 
Brian Moore Jr. led NSU (20-9, 10-2 MEAC) with 27 points, shooting 10-of-13 from the floor. Christian Ings tallied 16 points, six assists, and two steals, while Kuluel Mading added 12 points.
 
Ranking third in the nation in bench scoring, South Carolina State (16-12, 9-3) utilized huge contributions from reserves to pull off the win. Drayton Jones tallied 20 points, shooting 14-of-17 from the free throw line, while Mitchell Taylor knocked down six 3-pointers in an 18-point performance.
 
Although the half quickly sped up, both teams struggled to score the ball in the first stretch of the game. Norfolk State made its first basket nearly two minutes in, with the Bulldogs recording their first field goal on the next possession.
 
Moore gave the Spartans a 5-3 lead by stepping into a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, but a pair of Bulldog triples put the home team in front 10-9 shortly after. Moore connected again from deep, before Sin'Cere McMahon got in on the 3-point attack.
 
Mading logged the second of his three first-half dunks to tie the game 19-19, before Omar Croskey responded with his second 3-pointer of the afternoon. The Bulldogs began to gain separation thanks to a tremendous shooting performance from sophomore guard Mitchell Taylor, who knocked down four threes in the first half.
 
Mading and Ings helped the Spartans chip away at the gap with consecutive baskets to end the first period, but South Carolina State went to the break holding a 48-43 lead.
 
The Spartans opened the second half with the energy they needed, scoring five quick points to tie the game 48-48. Ings found Mading for another two-handed slam as the back-and-forth battle continued.
 
Taylor's fifth 3-pointer of the day sparked a 6-0 run for the Bulldogs, taking a 56-50 lead. Ings hit a timely 3-pointer to stop the opposing momentum before Moore drove strong to the rim to pull the Spartans within one.
 
Moore kept his scoring clinic going in the second half, knocking down a contested shot from midrange to tie the game 67-67 and give himself 20 points on the afternoon.
 
Coming off the bench, Chris Fields Jr. shouldered lots of the scoring load in the second half, getting to the basket and converting with dunks and crafty finishes. Terrance Jones also provided a crucial boost, knocking down a 3-pointer to tie things up, 80-80, with four minutes remaining.
 
South Carolina State took a two-point lead in the final stretch, but a clutch 3-pointer from Ings put the Spartans back in front. The seesaw battle continued, as South Carolina State retook the lead before a Jalen Myers jumper gave Norfolk State an 88-87 advantage with 59 seconds left on the clock.
 
The Spartans got a defensive stop, but a turnover at the other end gave South Carolina State possession again. The Bulldogs capitalized on the opportunity, going ahead on Croskey's paint score. Norfolk State couldn't answer on the other end, as the Bulldogs pulled off the 91-88 victory in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Brian Moore Jr. led the Spartans with 27 points on Saturday, shooting 10-of-13 from the floor
• Christian Ings added 16 points, six assists, and two steals
• Kuluel Mading tallied 12 points and two rebounds
• Drayton Jones led South Carolina State with 20 points off the bench, shooting 14-of-17 from the free throw line
• Bulldogs guard Mitchell Taylor made six 3-pointers on Saturday, shooting 6-of-7 from behind the arc
• Norfolk State shot 58.6 percent from the floor, holding South Carolina State to a 47.2 percent clip
• Saturday's game featured 13 ties and 26 lead changes, the most lead changes in a Norfolk State game this season

 
News & Notes

• Norfolk State dropped to 20-9 with the win, 10-2 in MEAC play
• South Carolina State improved to 16-12, 9-3 in the MEAC
• Norfolk State now leads the all-time series with South Carolina State 34-19
• South Carolina State's win snapped a 15-game losing streak in the series against Norfolk State
• Norfolk State now maintains a one-game lead atop the MEAC standings, with South Carolina State in second

 
UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State continues its southern road trip, heading to Durham for a 7:30 p.m. matchup with North Carolina Central on Monday, Mar. 3.
 
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