DURHAM, N.C. – Norfolk State and North Carolina Central went the distance on Monday night at McDougald-McLendon Arena, but the Spartans came up just short in a 91-87 overtime loss.
 
Brian Moore Jr. played 42 minutes for the Spartans (20-10, 10-3 MEAC), tallying 24 points while shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line. Keishon Porter led the Eagles (13-17, 6-7) with 24 points, adding five rebounds and three steals.
 
North Carolina Central started the game hot in front of its enthusiastic home crowd. The Eagles scored the first five points of the night, before Ings got the Spartans on the board with a two-handed dunk on a fast break.
 
NCCU quickly built a double-digit lead at 14-4, fueled by multiple inside scores from guard Po'boigh King. Kuluel Mading beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer to give the Spartans some life, before Tyrel Bladen spun through the paint for an and-one layup soon after.
 
Moore knocked down a step back jumper as the Spartans continued to attack, followed by a no-hesitation pull up 3-pointer from Terrance Jones to pull Norfolk State within two. Bladen got to the rim for another score, but King responded with a 3-pointer at the other end.
 
An open triple for Porter gave NCCU a 32-28 advantage, but the Spartans eventually fought back to even it up on an alley oop slam to Mading. Although Norfolk State tied the on multiple occasions, the Spartans never held a lead in the first half, going to the break trailing 38-36.
 
The Spartans opened the second half with an immediate burst. Several baskets from Mading helped NSU take its first lead of the game at 42-40 and force NCCU to use a timeout to regroup.
 
North Carolina Central went on a 5-0 run a few minutes later, but Norfolk State responded with a 6-0 swing of its own to take a 50-49 advantage. The Eagles caught fire from there, scoring the next 11 points which included two contested 3-pointers from redshirt senior guard Isaac Parson.
 
Just like they did in Norfolk when the teams met for the first time this season, the Spartans clawed their way back. With his team trailing 68-56 with 7:19 to play, Jalen Myers knocked down a shot from behind the arc to get the Spartans going.
 
After the teams traded points on the next couple of possessions, the Spartans went on a 6-0 run with three paint buckets to pull within one possession.
 
Ings came up clutch in the final minutes of regulation, draining a 3-pointer to tie the game 72-72.
 
Moore went to the line on the Spartans' next possession for two points, but King responded with a jumper at the other end. Moore gave Norfolk State the lead once again with a tough turnaround with just under a minute remaining.
 
The Eagles tied it up with a pair of free throws, though. Both teams came up empty on a pair of key possessions, sending the game to overtime.
 
North Carolina Central controlled most of the extra period with a narrow lead, but the Spartans wouldn't give up. Moore converted a second-chance basket to pull within two in the final two minutes, but Norfolk State could not get a defensive stop to even it up.
 
Jones knocked down a deep three to give the Spartans one last chance. After a missed free throw by the Eagles, Norfolk State had a shot to tie or take the lead, but Moore's contested layup didn't fall as the Eagles secured their second consecutive victory.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Brian Moore Jr. led the Spartans with 24 points on Monday, shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line
• Christian Ings (13), Kuluel Mading (13), Terrance Jones (12), and Chris Fields Jr. (11) also scored in double-figures
• Keishon Porter tallied 24 points and five rebounds for North Carolina Central
• Norfolk State shot 57.6 percent from the floor, while NCCU shot 49.2 percent
• North Carolina Central hit nine 3-pointers on 28 attempts (32.1 percent)
• NCCU tallied 19 second chance points, holding the Spartans to four
• Monday's game featured 10 ties and six lead changes

 
News & Notes

• Norfolk State dropped to 20-10 with the win, 10-3 in MEAC play
• North Carolina Central improved to 13-17, 6-7 in the MEAC
• Norfolk State now leads the all-time series with North Carolina Central 36-20
• The Spartans remain in first place in the MEAC standings, now tied with South Carolina State

 
UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State concludes the regular season on Thursday at Howard with tipoff slated for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
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