ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The Norfolk State men's basketball team earned a gritty 89–82 road victory over South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in a MEAC Championship rematch at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. 

With the win, the Spartans improve to 8–12 overall and 2–2 in MEAC play, while the Bulldogs fall to 3–16 and 2–2 in conference action. 

Anthony McComb III paced Norfolk State with a team-high 19 points, converting 14-of-15 free throw attempts. Four additional Spartans finished in double figures, as Elijah Jamison and My'kel Jenkins each recorded 14 points, Devon Ellis added 13, and Keyontae Lewis chipped in 12. Lewis led the team on the glass with seven rebounds, while Jamison and Jenkins each grabbed five boards. Jenkins also contributed three steals. 

South Carolina State opened the contest on a 16–5 run, highlighted by three early three-pointers from James Morrow. Norfolk State responded with a decisive 16–2 surge to take a 21–18 advantage with 8:32 remaining in the opening half. Ellis accounted for five points during the run, Jenkins connected from beyond the arc, Lewis scored twice in the paint, and Dian Wright-Forde and Jamison each added baskets. 

The teams traded leads down the stretch of the first half before the Bulldogs moved ahead 36–32 with just over two minutes remaining. Jamison answered at the free throw line, knocking down four straight attempts to send the game into halftime tied at 36. 

The back-and-forth battle continued early in the second half until a pair of free throws from Melo Baines sparked a 10–5 Spartan run, giving Norfolk State a 60–56 lead at the 10-minute mark. 

South Carolina State pulled within one at 62–61, but the Spartans responded with baskets from McComb, Jenkins, and Ellis to stretch the margin to six. Norfolk State extended the advantage to 74–63 after Jamison converted a Bulldog turnover into a fast-break layup with under six minutes remaining. 

Down the stretch, South Carolina State was forced to foul, sending the Spartans to the line 16 times in the final four minutes. Norfolk State converted 11 of those attempts to secure the road victory, while Jamison and Lewis added late field goals to close out the physical conference battle. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Final: Norfolk State 89, South Carolina State 82 
• Anthony McComb III: 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal (14-of-15 FT) 
• Double-figure scorers: Elijah Jamison (14), My'kel Jenkins (14), Devon Ellis (13), Keyontae Lewis (12) 
• FG%: NSU 55.8%, SCSU 44.3% 
• FTM-A: NSU 37-47, SCSU 18-22 
• Defensive Rebounds: NSU 21, SCSU 13 
• Fastbreak Points: NSU 32, SCSU 9 
• Points off Turnovers: NSU 25, SCSU 13 
• Points in the Paint: NSU 38, SCSU 28 

NEWS & NOTES 

• Head coach Robert Jones sits six wins away from 250 career victories. 
• Norfolk State's 37 made free throws rank third-most in program history. 
• The Spartans' 47 free throw attempts rank fourth-most in a single game in program history. 
• McComb's 14 made free throws rank fifth-most by a Spartan in a game, while his 15 attempts rank seventh. 

UP NEXT
Norfolk State returns home on Monday, Jan. 19, hosting Elizabeth City State at 7 p.m. inside Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.