NORFOLK, VA — Norfolk State hadn’t misplaced at dwelling all season and it wasn’t about to start out on Thursday evening.
NSU bounced again from a sluggish begin to give you a powerful 77-58 win over Howard, claiming the outright MEAC title within the season finale at Echols Corridor.
NSU head coach Robert Jones admitted there was some satisfaction for his program after his staff missed the prospect to win the MEAC common season final yr to Howard, along with dropping to it within the MEAC Event finals.
“I can’t say match get-back but, however common season to get-back, as a result of final yr they beat us on their dwelling flooring by 20 to win the common season,” Jones stated after the sport. “This yr we beat them by 19 to complete clinching the common season. So no tie-breaker.”
Jamarii Thomas scored 16 factors, together with 12 within the first half as NSU bounced again from an early 14-4 deficit to take a 29-26 halftime lead.
“We began off terrible and I do know we began a lineup that we don’t historically begin, by any means. However, , senior evening. So you bought to do the correct factor to your seniors and every thing like that. But it surely wasn’t an excellent one — clearly one of many good a lineup, as a result of they ran up on us. However then as soon as we kinda settled in, acquired again to our regular rotation, and issues like that we had been in a position to get management of the sport, after which we simply held on for the remainder of the remainder of the sport.”
The Spartans shot 66 p.c from the sphere within the second half, and 52.2 p.c general for the sport. In addition they hit half of their 14 3-point makes an attempt within the win.
Becoming a member of Thomas in double-figures was Allen Bertrand and Chris Fields Jr. with 13 factors every in addition to Christian Ings with 10 factors. Bertrand revealed the staff acquired some additional motivation simply earlier than the sport to verify it not just one, however made a press release.
“It was crucial as a result of they was strolling down the corridor screaming ‘the champs are right here,” Betrand stated. He motioned over to Jones “He informed us that. We didn’t even know that, so he informed us that within the locker room that simply fired us up. So we simply wished to be the one champion.”
