Norfolk St. beats Morgan St., back in NCAAs after nine years
AP
Mar 13, 2021
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Joe Bryant scored 17 points and Kashaun Hicks added 14, including a pair of clinching dunks, as Norfolk State Spartans defeated Morgan State Bears 71-63 on Saturday in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship game to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid in nine years.
Norfolk State (16-7) claimed its second MEAC title in five championship-game appearances. Its other title came in 2012 when it went on to beat No. 2 seed Missouri in the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 7 Florida. This is the first NCAA berth under eighth-year coach Robert Jones.
Bryant scored 10 straight points in a run that gave the Spartans a double-figures lead that eventually reached 16 points and lasted until there were three minutes remaining. The Bears (14-8) got as close as six with 30.6 seconds left before Hicks sandwiched a pair of dunks around Morgan State's final bucket to ensure the Spartans' seventh straight win.
Devante Carter added 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks for Norfolk State.
Hicks had 3-pointer and layup to start 8-0 run for a 10-point lead with three minutes left in half. De'Torrion Ware responded with four points in a 6-0 run but a 3-pointer from Kyonze Chavis gave the Spartans 37-30 halftime lead.
Ware, who scored 35 and 29 points in Morgan State's two tournament wins, finished with 16 points. Lagio Grantsaan added 13 points. The Bears made only 3 of 17 from the arc, missing all seven of their second-half attempts, and just 16 of 25 free throws. They had 18 turnovers, only three more than the Spartans, but got the worst of it in terms of points off those errors (24-10).
Norfolk State held Morgan State's league-leading scoring offense to nearly 18 points under its average
With this win, the Spartans defeated the Bears four times this season. The MEAC split into two divisions because of the pandemic and teams only played within their division, resulting in Norfolk State and Morgan State facing off in four regular-season games. The Spartans and Bears were the second and third seeds, respectively, out of the North Division.
Morgan State played in its third game in three days while Norfolk played its second tournament game after its semifinal opponent, North Carolina A&T, had to withdraw after a positive COVID-19 test within its program.
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1st Half
MORG
Bears
30
NORF
Spartans
37
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Troy Baxter vs. J.J. Matthews (Sherwyn Devonish gains possession)
19:51
+3
Trevor Moore makes three point jump shot (Sherwyn Devonish assists)
3-0
19:20
Troy Baxter blocks Devante Carter's two point layup
19:18
Spartans offensive rebound
19:15
Kyonze Chavis misses three point jump shot
19:13
Trevor Moore defensive rebound
19:00
Sherwyn Devonish turnover (lost ball) (Joe Bryant Jr. steals)
18:51
+2
Joe Bryant Jr. makes two point layup
3-2
18:41
J.J. Matthews personal foul (Troy Baxter draws the foul)
18:35
Trevor Moore turnover (bad pass)
18:19
Sherwyn Devonish shooting foul (Joe Bryant Jr. draws the foul)
18:19
+1
Joe Bryant Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
3-3
18:19
+1
Joe Bryant Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
3-4
18:03
Joe Bryant Jr. shooting foul (Troy Baxter draws the foul)
18:03
Troy Baxter misses regular free throw 1 of 3
18:03
Troy Baxter misses regular free throw 2 of 3
18:03
+1
Troy Baxter makes regular free throw 3 of 3
4-4
17:43
Kyonze Chavis turnover (out of bounds)
17:28
+3
Lagio Grantsaan makes three point jump shot (Trevor Moore assists)
7-4
17:14
Kashaun Hicks turnover (back court violation)
17:05
Troy Baxter offensive foul (Kyonze Chavis draws the foul)
17:05
Troy Baxter turnover
16:37
+2
Devante Carter makes two point layup (Kyonze Chavis assists)
7-6
16:36
Malik Miller shooting foul (Devante Carter draws the foul)
16:36
+1
Devante Carter makes regular free throw 1 of 1
7-7
16:26
Sherwyn Devonish misses two point jump shot
16:24
Jalen Hawkins defensive rebound
16:22
Troy Baxter personal foul
16:08
Joe Bryant Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:06
Lagio Grantsaan defensive rebound
15:58
De'Torrion Ware turnover (bad pass) (Joe Bryant Jr. steals)
15:49
Devante Carter misses three point jump shot
15:47
Kyonze Chavis offensive rebound
15:40
Joe Bryant Jr. misses two point layup
15:38
Bears defensive rebound
15:38
TV timeout
15:23
+2
Chad Venning makes two point jump shot
9-7
15:00
Jalen Hawkins offensive foul (Sherwyn Devonish draws the foul)
15:00
Jalen Hawkins turnover
14:36
De'Torrion Ware misses three point jump shot
14:34
Chad Venning offensive rebound
14:31
Chris Ford personal foul (Chad Venning draws the foul)
14:31
Trevor Moore misses three point jump shot
14:29
Sherwyn Devonish offensive rebound
14:16
+2
De'Torrion Ware makes two point layup (Sherwyn Devonish assists)
11-7
13:45
Devante Carter misses two point jump shot
13:43
J.J. Matthews offensive rebound
13:36
+2
J.J. Matthews makes two point jump shot
11-9
13:26
Malik Miller misses two point reverse layup
13:24
De'Torrion Ware offensive rebound
13:26
J.J. Matthews personal foul (De'Torrion Ware draws the foul)
13:20
De'Torrion Ware misses three point jump shot
13:18
Moel Camara offensive rebound
13:13
Jalen Hawkins blocks Sherwyn Devonish's two point layup
13:11
Spartans defensive rebound
12:59
De'Torrion Ware shooting foul (Kyonze Chavis draws the foul)
13:00
Kyonze Chavis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:00
Kyonze Chavis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:00
Malik Miller defensive rebound
12:51
De'Torrion Ware misses two point jump shot
12:49
Devante Carter defensive rebound
12:39
Moel Camara shooting foul (Jalen Hawkins draws the foul)
12:38
+1
Jalen Hawkins makes regular free throw 1 of 3
11-10
12:38
+1
Jalen Hawkins makes regular free throw 2 of 3
11-11
12:38
+1
Jalen Hawkins makes regular free throw 3 of 3
11-12
12:13
Sherwyn Devonish misses two point jump shot
12:11
Jalen Hawkins defensive rebound
12:03
+2
Kashaun Hicks makes two point layup (Jalen Hawkins assists)
11-14
11:39
+2
Moel Camara makes two point layup
13-14
11:29
Kashaun Hicks misses three point jump shot
11:27
Lagio Grantsaan defensive rebound
11:01
+2
Sherwyn Devonish makes two point floating jump shot
15-14
10:45
+2
Nyzaiah Chambers makes two point dunk (Mustafa Lawrence assists)
15-16
10:24
Sherwyn Devonish turnover (lost ball) (Mustafa Lawrence steals)
10:20
Mustafa Lawrence misses three point jump shot
10:18
Kashaun Hicks offensive rebound
10:08
Moel Camara blocks Mustafa Lawrence's two point layup
10:06
Spartans offensive rebound
10:06
TV timeout
9:54
+3
Devante Carter makes three point jump shot (Jalen Hawkins assists)
15-19
9:26
Lagio Grantsaan misses two point layup
9:24
Tahj-Malik Campbell offensive rebound
9:17
Tahj-Malik Campbell misses two point tip shot
9:15
Kashaun Hicks defensive rebound
9:11
Jalen Hawkins misses three point jump shot
9:09
Tahj-Malik Campbell defensive rebound
8:53
+2
Lagio Grantsaan makes two point layup (Trevor Moore assists)
17-19
8:31
Moel Camara personal foul (Mustafa Lawrence draws the foul)
8:31
+1
Mustafa Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 2
17-20
8:31
+1
Mustafa Lawrence makes regular free throw 2 of 2
17-21
8:09
Kashaun Hicks shooting foul (Moel Camara draws the foul)
8:08
+1
Moel Camara makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-21
8:08
Moel Camara misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:08
Kashaun Hicks defensive rebound
7:44
+3
Mustafa Lawrence makes three point jump shot (Kyonze Chavis assists)
18-24
7:25
Trevor Moore misses three point jump shot
7:23
Lagio Grantsaan offensive rebound
7:15
+3
De'Torrion Ware makes three point jump shot
21-24
6:52
+2
Devante Carter makes two point jump shot
21-26
6:31
+2
De'Torrion Ware makes two point layup (Moel Camara assists)
23-26
6:30
Chris Ford shooting foul (De'Torrion Ware draws the foul)
6:30
TV timeout
6:30
+1
De'Torrion Ware makes regular free throw 1 of 1
24-26
6:12
Kashaun Hicks misses three point jump shot
6:10
Kyonze Chavis offensive rebound
6:05
Mustafa Lawrence misses three point jump shot
6:03
De'Torrion Ware defensive rebound
5:32
Bears turnover (shot clock violation)
5:11
+3
Kashaun Hicks makes three point jump shot (Mustafa Lawrence assists)
24-29
4:56
De'Torrion Ware misses three point jump shot
4:54
Kashaun Hicks defensive rebound
4:47
Devante Carter misses two point jump shot
4:45
Bears defensive rebound
4:26
Sherwyn Devonish misses two point jump shot
4:24
Kyonze Chavis defensive rebound
4:02
+2
Kashaun Hicks makes two point layup
24-31
3:45
Malik Miller misses two point jump shot
3:43
Devante Carter defensive rebound
3:36
Devante Carter misses two point dunk
3:34
Sherwyn Devonish defensive rebound
3:15
Trevor Moore misses two point layup
3:13
Malik Miller offensive rebound
3:07
Malik Miller misses two point jump shot
3:05
Kyonze Chavis defensive rebound
3:05
Kyonze Chavis turnover (lost ball) (Trevor Moore steals)
3:05
Trevor Moore misses two point layup
3:03
Kyonze Chavis defensive rebound
3:03
Sherwyn Devonish shooting foul (Mustafa Lawrence draws the foul)
3:03
TV timeout
3:03
+1
Mustafa Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 3
24-32
3:03
+1
Mustafa Lawrence makes regular free throw 2 of 3
24-33
3:03
+1
Mustafa Lawrence makes regular free throw 3 of 3
24-34
2:47
+2
Malik Miller makes two point layup
26-34
2:21
Mustafa Lawrence misses three point jump shot
2:19
Malik Miller defensive rebound
2:19
+2
De'Torrion Ware makes two point layup
28-34
2:19
Mustafa Lawrence shooting foul (De'Torrion Ware draws the foul)
2:19
+1
De'Torrion Ware makes regular free throw 1 of 1
29-34
1:57
Nyzaiah Chambers misses two point jump shot
1:55
Tahj-Malik Campbell defensive rebound
1:51
Tahj-Malik Campbell offensive foul (Kashaun Hicks draws the foul)
1:51
Tahj-Malik Campbell turnover
1:38
Devante Carter turnover (traveling)
1:23
Malik Miller misses two point jump shot
1:21
Joe Bryant Jr. defensive rebound
1:14
Kyonze Chavis misses two point jump shot
1:12
Malik Miller defensive rebound
1:10
Nyzaiah Chambers personal foul (Malik Miller draws the foul)
1:10
Malik Miller misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:10
Nyzaiah Chambers defensive rebound
1:03
Spartans 30 second timeout
0:50
Joe Bryant Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:48
Moel Camara defensive rebound
0:45
Bears 30 second timeout
0:36
Kyonze Chavis personal foul (De'Torrion Ware draws the foul)
0:36
+1
De'Torrion Ware makes regular free throw 1 of 2
30-34
0:36
De'Torrion Ware misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:36
Kyonze Chavis defensive rebound
0:12
+3
Kyonze Chavis makes three point jump shot (Devante Carter assists)
30-37
0:00
Devante Carter blocks De'Torrion Ware's three point jump shot
0:00
Joe Bryant Jr. defensive rebound
0:00
Joe Bryant Jr. turnover (lost ball) (De'Torrion Ware steals)
0:00
De'Torrion Ware misses three point jump shot
0:00
Bears offensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
MORG
Bears
33
NORF
Spartans
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:40
+2
Kyonze Chavis makes two point jump shot
30-39
19:37
Troy Baxter offensive foul
19:37
Troy Baxter turnover
19:23
J.J. Matthews offensive foul (Lagio Grantsaan draws the foul)
19:23
J.J. Matthews turnover
19:03
+2
Sherwyn Devonish makes two point pullup jump shot
32-39
18:44
Joe Bryant Jr. misses two point layup
18:42
Malik Miller defensive rebound
18:30
Malik Miller turnover (lost ball) (Kyonze Chavis steals)
18:26
Trevor Moore shooting foul (Joe Bryant Jr. draws the foul)
18:26
+1
Joe Bryant Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
32-40
18:26
+1
Joe Bryant Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
32-41
18:09
+2
Trevor Moore makes two point pullup jump shot
34-41
17:46
+3
Joe Bryant Jr. makes three point jump shot (Kyonze Chavis assists)
34-44
17:30
Lagio Grantsaan misses two point driving layup
17:28
Malik Miller offensive rebound
17:23
Troy Baxter misses three point jump shot
17:21
Devante Carter defensive rebound
16:59
+2
Joe Bryant Jr. makes two point layup
34-46
16:59
Trevor Moore shooting foul (Joe Bryant Jr. draws the foul)
16:59
+1
Joe Bryant Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1
34-47
16:45
+2
Trevor Moore makes two point driving jump shot
36-47
16:19
+2
Joe Bryant Jr. makes two point reverse layup (Kashaun Hicks assists)
36-49
16:01
Kyonze Chavis blocks De'Torrion Ware's three point jump shot
15:59
Kashaun Hicks defensive rebound
15:51
Devante Carter misses two point layup
15:49
De'Torrion Ware defensive rebound
15:44
Chris Ford shooting foul (Trevor Moore draws the foul)
15:44
TV timeout
15:44
+1
Trevor Moore makes regular free throw 1 of 2
37-49
15:44
+1
Trevor Moore makes regular free throw 2 of 2
38-49
15:30
+3
Kashaun Hicks makes three point jump shot (Devante Carter assists)
38-52
15:11
Lagio Grantsaan misses two point finger roll layup
15:09
Troy Baxter offensive rebound
15:09
+2
Troy Baxter makes two point tip shot
40-52
14:55
Devante Carter turnover (lost ball) (Troy Baxter steals)
14:41
Trevor Moore misses three point jump shot
14:39
Kashaun Hicks defensive rebound
14:09
Lagio Grantsaan blocks Kyonze Chavis's two point driving layup
