Top-Seeded Norfolk State Men Race Past 8-Seeded Coppin State in MEAC Quarterfinals
MEAC Tournament – Game 3 – March 13, 2024 – The SCOPE, Norfolk, VA
NORFOLK, VA – Top-Seeded Norfolk State used a big second half to hand eighth-seeded Coppin State a 75-51 setback Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at The Scope. The Spartans outscored the Eagles 44-26 in the final half in improving to 22-10 on the season.
Coach Robert Jones’ team earned a trip to Friday’s semifinals where it will meet the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal contest between fourth-seeded Howard and Morgan State, the fifth seed.
Graduate student Christian Ingles had 17 points, including a 4-6 performance from three-point range, to lead Norfolk State. Jack Doumbia came off the bench for 14 points, including a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line, while Kuluel Mading added 12 points and nine rebounds in the victory. The Spartan win was the third in as many meetings between the two teams this season.
Coppin State, was led by Khali Horton, who came off the bench for 16 points, and Greg Spurlock who added 10. Aa’reyon Munir-Jones had seven rebounds to lead Coach Larry Stewart’s team on the boards.
The Spartans, following a seesaw first half that saw them go to the locker room ahead 31-26, took control in the opening minutes of the second half, putting together a 24-7 run to build a 55-32 advantage to start the period. NSU hit three baskets from beyond the arc, two by Ingles, during the spree, to build the big lead with 10:13 to play.
After two free throws by Horton with just under 10 minutes remaining, Allen Bertrand who came off bench for nine points, ignited a 13-7 run to give the Spartans a 67-40 lead, their biggest of the game, with 5:54 to play.
The first half featured a series of runs by the two teams, with Norfolk State scoring the game’s first seven points before Coppin State went on a 13-1 run to grab the lead, 13-8, when Ryan Archery finished with nine points, made two free throws at the 11:11 mark.
The Coppin lead swelled to 17-10 before Ingles, who returned to the game with just under nine minutes left in the half, scored seven straight points, including a four-point play to deadlock the contest 17-all with 8:26 left.
The Eagles closed the gap to two points twice, the last time at 23-21 on an Archery reverse layup, before the Spartans scored seven of the final 11 points of the half to go to the locker room ahead 31-25. Ingles had 11 points in the period for the Spartans, while Battle and Archery had six each to lead Coppin.
“We got off to a quick start but sputtered a bit and allowed them to make a run,” said NSU’s Jones. “It was the first game (of the tournament) and I think we were nervous, maybe both teams were a little jittery.
“But, I thought we played a great second half,” continued Jones. “The hardest game is usually the first one. People think we have a home-court advantage, but we don’t play our home games at The Scope. And, we get pressure from the fans because they always expect us to win because the tournament is in Norfolk.” Jones said he told his team at the half to play some defense and his players responded.