NORFOLK (WAVY) — When Norfolk State returns to Joe Echols Hall on Saturday for its first conference home game of the season, it will be doing so with its coach as the newest member of the 200-win club.
Last week the Spartans had to rally from 15 points down to defeat Howard in Washington D.C. and in the process, head coach Robert Jones earned his 200th win as NSU head coach.
Jones has been a consistent winner for a program that he’s guided to two MEAC tournament championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT appearance.
In that win over Howard, Jamari Thomas, a transfer guard from UNC Wilmington, scored the go-ahead basket for NSU as it completed the comeback over a team that defeated them three times last season including in the MEAC title game at Scope.
“We were down 15 and we cut it to three and went back down 11,” Jones said, “We actually had to come back twice in the second half.”
Comebacks are nothing new to Jones. When he achieved his 100th win, his team had to come back from 24 points down.
As far as picking up win number 200, it didn’t quite sink in right away after a tough come-from-behind conference road win.
“At the moment when we won the game, it wasn’t like it was any real emotion,” Jones said. “It took me the bus ride back to reflect and think about the 200th win.”
But Jones does concede after further reflection,”It was a big milestone for me.”
With eight new players, Jones once again has the Spartans rolling in the right direction.
NSU’s net ranking is 184, far-and-away the best in the MEAC. The next closest is North Carolina Central, which has a NET ranking of 263.
NSU is 12-8, with quality out of conference wins over VCU, William & Mary and Illinois State. The Spartans are 2-1 in the MEAC.
This Saturday, the Spartans are back home for a conference game against Coppin State (2-15, 1-2), Tip off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
