NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team sent its seniors out with a bang in their last game at Echols Hall, earning the outright MEAC Regular Season championship in the process.
 
NSU owned the last ten minutes of Thursday's regular season finale against Howard, producing a 77-58 victory. The win made the Spartans 13-0 at Echols Hall this season, closing a perfect 2023-24 home campaign.
 
Jamarii Thomas led the Spartans with 16 points, while Allen Betrand (13), Chris Fields Jr. (13), and Christian Ings (10) all scored in double figures.
 
Prior to the game, Norfolk State recognized four seniors: Betrand, Daryl Anderson, Nyzaiah Chambers, and Tyrese Jenkins.
 
Howard got off to a spectacular start, taking advantage of a new opening lineup from the Spartans. The Bison took a 14-4 lead within a few minutes.
 
The Spartans got back in the mix with a string of jumpers, including 3-pointers from Betrand and Thomas. Jaylani Darden connected from deep to pull the Spartans within two, before Thomas tied the game at 24 with another triple a minute later.
 
Fields scored an and-one before the end of the first half, sending the Spartans to the break with a 29-26 advantage.
 
The Spartans went up 38-31 in the second half with another and-one from Ings, as well as a fastbreak dunk by Tyrel Bladen. Bladen came up with a steal, finding Ings for another score moments later.
 
Norfolk State continued to rack up points in transition, as Thomas connected with Jenkins for another two-handed slam. Howard stormed back from there, though, pulling within a point from a Marcus Dockery 3-pointer.
 
Kuluel Mading slowed the run with another dunk, before back-to-back Ings jumpers – one with a foul included – gave the Spartans some breathing room. Darden found Bladen for another basket and Betrand knocked down a 3-pointer that extended the lead to double-digits.
 
Fields began heating up as the Spartans blew the lead open, getting to the rim at will. The freshman scored a tough layup through a foul late in the second half, giving him 13 points in just eight minutes of action.
 
Gilbert Brown put the final exclamation point on the dominant win, draining a 3-pointer to the packed gym's approval with 30 seconds remaining.
 
 
Checking The Box Score

• Jamarii Thomas led the Spartans with 16 points, adding six rebounds and a steal as well
• Four Spartans scored in double-figures: Thomas, Allen Betrand (13), Chris Fields Jr. (13), and Christian Ings (10)
• Jaylani Darden recorded nine rebounds and a career-high three blocks
• Norfolk State shot 30-of-57 (52.6 percent) from the floor and 7-of-14 (50.0 percent) from behind the arc
• The Spartans shot 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from the free throw line, a season low
• Norfolk State's bench outscored Howard's 40-18

News & Notes

• Norfolk State improved to 21-10 with the win, 11-3 in MEAC play
• After earning at least a share of the MEAC Regular Season title on Monday night, Norfolk State secured the outright championship with Thursday's win
• Howard dropped to 15-16, and 9-5 in the MEAC with the loss
• Norfolk State closed out a perfect season at home, producing a 13-0 record at Echols Hall
• Norfolk State now leads the all-time series between the programs 52-14

 
UP NEXT
 
After securing a regular season championship, Norfolk State now looks for another title. The Spartans open the MEAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Wednesday, Mar. 13 at 6 p.m., facing Coppin State in the first round.
 
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