image via Nick Sutton
courtesy of Alex Lehmbeck, Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Communication
Men’s Basketball | Box Score
60
Morgan
69
Winner Norf
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan | 26 | 34 | 60 |
| Norf | 30 | 39 | 69 |
NORFOLK, Va. – After four years of show-stopping dunks for Spartan fans in Echols Hall, Norfolk State guard Christian Ings saved his greatest trick for last.
Playing his final game at Echols, the graduate senior delivered two absurd slams within minutes of one another to cap off a 69-60 Senior Night victory over Morgan State on Monday night.
The Spartans (20-8, 10-1 MEAC) became the first MEAC team in the league’s history to record four consecutive 20-win seasons in the process.
Ings led the Spartans with 12 points in a well-balanced scoring effort. Four Spartan seniors scored in double figures on their day of recognition: Ings (12), Brian Moore Jr. (11), Terrance Jones (11), and Jalen Myers (10). Sophomore Chris Fields Jr. added 11 points as well, as the Spartans improved to 40-1 in head coach Robert Jones‘ tenure when five or more players score in double figures.
Much like the first meeting between the teams, the teams traded blows back and forth to start the game. The first half featured multiple lead changes, as both teams looked to gain an edge.
Layups from Kuluel Mading and Fields gave the Spartans a 9-6 lead, before Jones drained a 3-pointer a few minutes later to put NSU ahead by four.
Sin’Cere McMahon knocked down a triple to give Norfolk State a 21-14 advantage. Moore got in on the 3-point barrage soon as well, as the gap neared double digits.
Kameron Hobbs connected from deep to give Morgan State some life. The shot sparked an 8-0 Bear run that pulled the road team within two points late in the first half. The Spartans went to the break with a 30-26 advantage, with a 15-0 record this season when leading at the half.
Back-to-back buckets from Myers got the Spartans going in the second half. Norfolk State began to gain separation. Hobbs hit a 3-pointer to bring Morgan State within four, but a putback from Chris Fields Jr. soon after helped the Spartans stay in front.
Morgan State’s Daniel Akitoby got to the rim for a two-handed dunk, bringing the Bears within just one possession. Freshman Melo Bainesfollowed up a Spartan miss at the other end, however, getting his shot to fall for a crucial field goal.
Norfolk native Jaylani Darden, with a plethora of hometown friends and family in attendance, got the crowd on its feet with a one-handed dunk on the fastbreak. Fields, who boosted his double-figure scoring streak to four games on Monday, made his second 3-pointer of the season to give NSU its first double-digit lead of the night.
Morgan State cut the lead down in the final stretch, getting as close as six with under minutes to play. Several empty possessions kept the score at 63-57, until Ings broke the draught with the first of two ESPN-worthy highlights.
Ings split through a pair of defenders in the pick and roll, rising for a poster-dunk over a 6-9 Morgan State defender.
Just a minute later, Ings one-upped himself. Getting the ball in transition with just one defender in his way, he launched himself off two feet for a thunderous windmill slam for the game’s final exclamation point.
Checking The Box Score
- Christian Ings led the Spartans with 12 points
- Kuluel Mading grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds and Jalen Myers tied a career-high of 11 rebounds
- Terrance Jones (11), Brian Moore Jr. (11), Chris Fields Jr. (11), and Myers (10) scored in double-figures as well
- Norfolk State held a 30-26 lead
- Monday’s game featured 2 ties and 2 lead changes
- Norfolk State shot 28-of-72 from the floor (38.9 percent)
News & Notes
- Norfolk State improved to 20-8 with the win, 10-1 in MEAC play
- North Carolina Central dropped to 11-16, 5-6 in the MEAC
- Norfolk State now leads the all-time series with Morgan State 49-19
- Norfolk State reached 20 wins for the fourth consecutive season on Monday, becoming the first team in MEAC history to record four straight 20-win seasons
- NSU improved to 40-1 during head coach Robert Jones‘ tenure when five or more Spartans score in double figures
UP NEXT
After concluding its home state on Monday, the Spartans close the regular season with three road games. Norfolk State returns to action on Saturday, Mar. 1, facing South Carolina State at 4 p.m.
