Norfolk State regained its place atop the MEAC standings on Saturday, defeating Howard 92-75 behind a 30-point performance from guard Brian Moore Jr.
Moore shot 11-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line, surpassing the 30-point mark for the third time this season. Christian Ings tallied 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Jalen Myers logged 15 points and a team-best eight rebounds.
Norfolk State (14-8, 4-1 MEAC) shot a perfect 21-of-21 from the free throw line, marking the first time in program history that the Spartans have made 100 percent of their free throw attempts (min. 15) in a single game.
Cameron Shockley-Okeke led Howard (8-12, 3-1) with 19 points, knocking down four 3-pointers.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s Christian Ings!!
5:09 2H |@NSUSpartans 73, HU 58
📺ESPNU #GoldStandard pic.twitter.com/TMXxl5N97s
— Norfolk State Men’s Basketball (@NSU_BBALL) January 25, 2025
A highly anticipated conference matchup, the showdown lived up to the hype from the opening tip. Ings scored at the rim for the Spartans’ first points of the day before Kuluel Mading knocked down a jumper from mid-range a couple of minutes later.
Sin’Cere McMahon gave the Spartans their first lead of the afternoon by knocking down a 3-pointer. Norfolk State maintained a slight edge, helped by a fast break and one from Chris Fields Jr.
Shockley-Okeke gave Howard a one-point advantage, but a dunk by Mading at the other end pushed NSU back in front. Mading continued his hot start, draining a 3-pointer on the Spartans’ next possession.
Jalen Myers converted from mid-range to give NSU a 25-22 lead before Ings increased the gap with another successful attempt close to the basket. A pair of scores from Shockley-Okeke tied the game back up, but Ings hit a timely 3-pointer of his own to put the Spartans back in control.
Shockley-Okeke continued to give the Norfolk State defense trouble, ending the first half with 14 points. Mading made a layup in the final minute of the first period, sending the two teams to the break tied 35-35.
Moore gave the Spartans an immediate boost in the second half, knocking down a jumper before scoring through contact for a three-point play. Myers hit his first 3-pointer of the day a couple of minutes later to push Norfolk State ahead 45-37 – the Spartans’ largest lead of the game to that point.
Howard slowed down the run with a successful trip to the free throw line from a 3-point attempt before standout freshman Blake Harper pulled the Bison within three on a jump shot.
Ings began to heat up, getting to the basket for layups or fouls. A pair of free throws by the graduate guard pushed the Spartans ahead 61-51 midway through the second half – Norfolk State’s first double-digit gap of the day.
Moore reached 20 points on a silky-smooth jumper before Ings got the crowd on its feet with an alley-oop slam on a lob from Jaylani Darden. Myers hit a jump shot of his own a few minutes later as Norfolk State refused to take its foot off the gas.
Continuing his stellar day, Moore got to the rim at will for multiple baskets down the stretch. Darden drained a 3-pointer with under a minute remaining, but Moore put the final exclamation point with an and-one that bounced hard off the rim before falling.
Courtesy: Norfolk State Athletics
