NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 79-78 loss to Morgan State in a back-and-forth MEAC thriller Monday evening inside Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. With the setback, the Spartans fall to 10-13 overall and 3-3 in conference play, while the Bears improve to 8-12 and 4-2 in the MEAC. 

Norfolk State was led by Jaquel Morris, who recorded a career-high 23 points on an efficient 11-of-12 shooting performance. He added six rebounds, one steal, and one block. 

Anthony McComb III (14 points), Elijah Jamison (13), and Devon Ellis (11) also scored in double figures. Ellis paced the Spartans on the glass with a team-high seven rebounds. 

Norfolk State opened the contest with back-to-back baskets from Morris, including an emphatic dunk, to take an early 4-3 advantage. Morgan State responded with a 7-0 run to grab a 10-4 lead before the Spartans answered with a 9-4 surge to pull within one, 14-13, at the 14-minute mark. 

A pair of free throws from My'kel Jenkins put Norfolk State back in front, 19-18, but the Bears countered with a 15-7 run to take a 33-25 lead with 6:40 remaining in the first half. 

The Spartans closed the half strong, finishing the final six minutes on a 17-3 run. An and-one three-point play by Keyontae Lewis and a driving layup from Ellis cut the deficit to three, 33-30, before Dian Wright-Forde's steal and coast-to-coast layup, followed by two McComb free throws, tied the game at 34-34. 

Morris grabbed an offensive rebound and threw down a powerful putback dunk to give NSU the lead, 36-34. McComb, Wright-Forde, and Morris combined for the Spartans' final three baskets of the half, sending Norfolk State into the locker room with a 42-36 advantage. 

Norfolk State continued its momentum to start the second half, as baskets from Adrean Newton and Morris extended the lead to 46-36. The Spartans maintained at least an eight-point cushion for much of the period and built their largest lead of the night, 65-51, on Jamison's three-pointer with 12:17 remaining. 

Morgan State battled back, trimming the deficit to three following a 22-11 run capped by consecutive baskets from Elijah Davis and two free throws from Alfred Worrell Jr. with 1:13 left. Worrell then knocked down a clutch three-pointer to pull the Bears within one, 77-76, with 20 seconds remaining. 

McComb converted one free throw to push the Spartans ahead 78-76, but Davis answered with a free throw to make it a one-point game. After Norfolk State missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, Morgan State took possession and Worrell connected on the go-ahead jumper with 3.4 seconds left. 

Norfolk State's final attempt came up short at the buzzer, sealing the 79-78 decision in favor of the Bears. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• FINAL: Norfolk State 78, Morgan State 79 
• Jaquel Morris: 23 points, six rebounds, one steal and one block; 11-12 FG 
• Other Spartans in double figures included Anthony McComb III (14), Elijah Jamison (13) and Devon Ellis (11). 
• TEAM STATS  
  • FG%: NSU 41.4%, MSU 46.3%  
  • Rebounds: NSU 45, MSU 35 
  • Assists: NSU 13, MSU 10  
  • Points in the Paint: NSU 46, MSU 26 

NEWS & NOTES 

• Head Coach Robert Jones is four wins away from earning his 250th career coaching victory.  
• Elijah Jamison is now 53 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone for his career.  

UP NEXT 
Norfolk State returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 31, traveling to Washington, D.C., to take on the Howard Bison at Burr Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., with the game airing live on ESPNU.