Balanced Attack Leads Spartans Past SCSU, 82-67

NORFOLK, Va. - Pendarvis Williams scored a career-high 20 points to lead a season-high five Norfolk State players in double figures as the Spartans improved to 2-0 in MEAC play with an 82-67 win over South Carolina State on Monday night at Echols Hall.

Kyle O'Quinn added 18, Brandon Wheeless had a season-high 12, and Jamel Fuentes and Chris McEachin had 10 apiece for NSU (6-3, 2-0 MEAC). The Spartans are off to their first 2-0 MEAC start since 2007-08, and first 6-3 overall start since 1996-97, their last season in Division II.

The quartet of Williams, O'Quinn, Wheeless and Fuentes helped NSU pull away from a tight ballgame midway through the second half. Wheeless' fast-break layup gave the Spartans a 54-52 lead for good with 11:19 left in the game. Fuentes, meanwhile, scored all of his career-high 10 points in the final 12:20, and O'Quinn had 14 of his 18 after halftime as the Bulldogs were unable to keep up. The Spartans shot 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the floor in the second half while SCSU hit only 39 percent (13-of-33).

The Spartans also had the hot hand to start the game, jumping out to an 11-2 lead just more than three minutes in. McEachin converted a traditional three-point play and canned a 3-pointer, and O'Quinn hit a pair of jumpers to stake NSU to a big early lead.

But foul trouble from NSU's aggressive defensive slowed the Spartans' tempo and allowed SCSU to get back into the game. Four Spartans ended the half with two fouls apiece, including O'Quinn, who sat the final 12 minutes of the stanza.

NSU also cooled off from the floor after its hot early start and shot just 31 percent (11-of-35) in the half. The Bulldogs didn't fare much better, but hit 11-of-17 from the free throw line compared to NSU's 5-of-13 to creep back into it. A jumper by guard Khalif Toombs with 12 seconds left in the half gave SCSU a 30-29 edge going into the intermission.

Read more at NSUSpartans.com 

Harper Leads Eagle to Win over Rio Grande 

BALTIMORE -- Michael Harper scored 14 points and blocked a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer as Coppin State posted a 53-50 non-conference victory over NAIA Rio Grande on Monday in the Physical Education Complex.

The Eagles took a 10-point lead with 3:03 to play when Tony Gallo netted a pair of free throws to push the CSU lead to 53-43.

Rio Grande (4-5) then responded with a 7-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Jermaine Warmack with 39 seconds to play that cut the lead to 53-50.

Coppin State (3-4) had a chance to ice the game at three free throw line, but Michael Murray missed a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining giving the RedStorm one final opportunity.

But Harper blocked the game-tying attempt by Brad Cubbie giving the Eagles their second victory in as many games.

Coppin State survived despite being outshot and outrebounded by Rio Grande. The RedStorm shot 36.0 percent to 31.7 percent for the Eagles and held a sizeable 49-30 advantage on the boards.

The Eagles forced Rio Grande into 26 turnovers and turned those into 35 points.

Gallo led the Eagles with 15 points, while Antonio Williams had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Warmack led Rio Grande with 16 points, while Turrell Morris had nine points and 21 rebounds.

Read the complete story at CoppinStateSports.com 

Time Runs Out for Pirates at Fordham

BRONX, N.Y. - The Hampton University men's basketball team had the final possession, but couldn't come away with the basket Monday night at the Rose Hill Gym, as Fordham escaped with a 54-53 win.

Fordham picked up its first win over the Pirates in three meetings.

With what appeared to be 14.4 seconds left on the clock. Fordham's Chris Gaston went to the free throw line to shoot the front end of a one-and-one and missed; Mike Tuitt grabbed the rebound and started to pushed the ball up the court. Hampton moved the ball around to get an open look, but with two Rams in his face, Darrion Pellum could not get the shot to fall as it rimmed out as time ran out.

The Pirates dropped to 4-5 on the year, while the Rams improved to 3-3 on the season.

It took the Pirates some time to get things moving in the first half, as they found themselves down 30-26 at the half. Despite that, the Pirates battled the entire first half, as they were down 11 points at one point to the Rams.

Hampton shot just 29 percent (9-for-31) from the floor, while the Rams were able to connect on 13 of 36 shots (33 percent) in the first half. The Rams' Branden Frazier led the way with eight points, while Pellum and Jasper Williams scored six each for the Pirates in the first half.

Read the complete story at HamptonPirates.com.