While Norfolk State had to endure a close call against Morgan State, South Carolina State advanced to its first MEAC men’s basketball championship game in nine years with a bang.
It was countless bangs, actually.
The Bulldogs shot 56 percent and led by as many as 29 points on their way to an 88-67 win over No. 6 seed North Carolina Central. The win clinched S.C. State’s first trip to the MEAC men’s championship game since 2016.
The Bulldogs (20-12) never trailed in the game, shooting a sizzling 22-for-36 (61 percent) from the field in a 54-25 first-half run.
The leader of the SCSU first-half explosion was guard Omar Croskey, who scored 19 points in 12 first-half minutes.
Croskey scored a game-high 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from the three-point line. Davion Everett, with 16 points, and Colin McKenzie, with 14 points, joined him in double figures.
North Carolina Central, who had an ESPN Top 10 play buzzer beater to defeat Delaware State Thursday night, was led by Perry Smith Jr.’s 20 points, along with 18 from Po’Boigh King and 11 from Keishon Porter. The Eagles finished their season 14-19.
While South Carolina State was running to the MEAC title game, the host and top-seeded Spartans had a much tougher time with No. 5 seed Morgan State.
The Bears led for much of the first half and held a lead as large as five points (36-31) with three minutes gone by in the second half.
Norfolk State back in the championship round
NSU (23-10) went ahead for good at 45-43 on a Brian Moore Jr. shot with less than eight minutes left. A Moore three-pointer opened up Norfolk State’s advantage to 54-47, but the Bears (14-19) clawed back within three points after a layup and foul shot by Rob Lawson with a minute to go.
WE HAVE A JOB TO FINISH!!!#GoldStandard🔰 pic.twitter.com/yRJHmPy1Qu
— Norfolk State Men’s Basketball (@NSU_BBALL) March 15, 2025
Neither team could maintain a possession and Morgan State had one last chance to tie, but Kameron Hobbs’ three-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim and the Bears ran out of time.
Christian Ings led Norfolk State with 19 points and Moore added 14.
Hobbs led Morgan State with 11 points.
