Score: Morgan State 50 | Norfolk State 72
Location: Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall, Norfolk, Va.
Records: Morgan State 12-14, 4-6 | Norfolk State 19-7, 8-2
The short story:  Kris Bankston had a game-high 23 points and Norfolk State scored 38 points in the paint in a 72-50 win over Morgan State on Saturday night at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.

OPENING TIP

• Bankston came up just shy of recording  his fifth double-double of the season as he led the Spartans with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting while also pulling down nine rebounds (8 defensive) to go along with five blocked shots.
• Joe Bryant Jr., who entered the game averaging 17.7 points per game, scored all 13 of his points in the second half on 5-of-11 shooting.
• Cahiem Brown added 12 points with four steals, four assists and three rebounds for the Spartans.
• Redshirt sophomore forward Will Thomas led the Bears with 14 points (6-12 FG) and had five boards and two steals in 33 minutes.
• Junior guard Kamron Hobbs finished with 12 points (5-10 FG) with four boards and two steals. Lewis Djonkam chipped in eight points with three rebounds and a blocked shot.
• Senior guard Isaiah Burke, who entered the game averaging 19.1 points per game, was held to a season-low six points on 2-for-10 shooting from the field and 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.

THE DIFFERENCE

• After the halftime break, Morgan used an 8-2 run to trim Norfolk's lead to 37-28 with 16:26 remaining. 
• Caheim Brown scored on a jumper to give the Spartans a 41-30 lead (14:42), but the Bears got a 3-pointer by Burke and a pair of free throws by Lewis Djonkam as part of a 9-3 run to cut Norfolk's lead to 44-39 with 12:12 remaining.
• The Spartans responded with a 13-3 run and a steal by Caheim Brown led to a fastbreak layup by Dana Tate to extend the lead to 59-42 with 6:39 remaining and the Spartans never looked back.
• Norfolk shot 54-percent from the field and connected on 4-of-15 3-pointers (.267) while the Bears shot 35-percent from the field and connected on 3-of-14 (.214) 3-pointers.
• Morgan shot .786 (11-14) from the free throw line, compared to the Spartans' .667 percent (14-21).
• Norfolk controlled the boards outrebounding the Bears 35-28.
• The Spartans scored 27 points off of forcing 19 MSU turnovers.
• Bankston opened the game by scoring Norfolks first six points and a 3-pointer by Terrance Jones gave the Spartans an early 9-5 advantage. Norfolk used a 11-4 run to build a 20-9 lead with 7:14 remaining in the half.
• Morgan trailed 35-20 at halftime.

NOTABLE

• Tonight marked the 64th meeting between the teams, NSU leads the series 43-20
• The Bears fall  12-14 overall, 4-6 in the MEAC and drop to 2-12 in road games.
• NSU extends to a 6-game winning streak and improved its home record to 10-1 this season.

NEXT UP
The Bears will return home for a highly anticipated rematch against the Howard Bison on Monday night (Feb. 20) in Baltimore. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m at 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.