NORFOLK, Va. (Jan. 24, 2022) – Three players scored in double figures, helping Norfolk State knock off Morgan State, 82-62, on Monday night at Echols Hall.
The Spartans controlled the second half as they improved to 14-4 on the season and sit atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings with a 5-0 mark.
Norfolk was led by Joe Bryant who scored 18 points (11-12 FT) with six assists and five rebounds, while Christian Ings scored 18 points with four assists and Jalen Hawkins added 18 points on 5 for 10 shooting.
Morgan (6-10, 1-3) was limited to 31 percent (22-70) shooting from the floor, was just 5 of 30 from 3-point territory, and was outrebounded by a 43-37 margin.
Lagio Grantsaan paced the Bears with 14 points (5-11 FG) with nine rebounds and three assists. Chad Venning added 10 points (5-10 FG) with four boards and a blocked shot. De'Torrion Ware and Isaiah Burke chipped in nine points apiece.
The Spartans totaled 22 points in the paint and outscored the Bears by a 47-29 margin in the second half.
Norfolk held a 35-33 lead at halftime, but exploded in the second stanza. Hawkins knocked down a pair of threes as part of a quick 9-0 run to give the Spartans a 44-33 lead with 17:52 remaining.
Bryant converted a 3-point play and fed Kris Bankston (9 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks) for an alley-oop dunk to extend the lead to 56-38. Seventh Woods responded with a fast break slam of his own to end a 5-minute scoring drought by the Bears.
A pullup jumper by Isaiah Burke with just under 9 minutes to go marked just the Bears' third field goal of the second half trailing 63-42.
The Spartans jumped out to an early 10-3 lead. Chad Venning scored on a short hook from the baseline to get the Bears into the flow of the game. De'Torrion Ware completed a 3-point play and a 3-pointer from Burke was part of an 8-0 run to take a 11-10 lead.
The game was tied at 13-13 when the Spartans reeled off an 11-1 run to take a 22-13 lead.
Morgan went without a field goal for 4 minutes before Woods knocked down a 3-pointer at the 9:56 mark. Chad Venning scored with a pair of baskets inside the paint to cut the lead to 22-20. A 3-pointer by Ware gave the Bears a 23-22 lead as part of a 9-0 run.
Inge ended a 3-minute scoring drought with a basket inside to retake the lead at 24-23. The game remained tight in the final minutes of the half.
Bankston dished to Inge for a dunk with 5 seconds left, before Burke was fouled and split a pair of free throws to trim the Spartans lead to 35-33 at the intermission.
NEXT UP:
Morgan State and Delaware State will clash for the first time this season on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 4 pm inside Hill Field House.
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
