Norfolk State loses to Howard on last-second technical foul

Posted: Jan 15, 2023 / 01:17 AM MST

Updated: Jan 15, 2023 / 11:48 AM MST

NORFOLK (WAVY) – Norfolk State lost its first conference game of the season in an almost unimaginable way; a technical foul call with one second remaining.

Joe Bryant (team-high 23 points) hit the scored the go-ahead bucket with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving the Spartans (12-6, 2-1 in MEAC) a 84-83 lead and a big reason to celebrate.

Apparently, there was too much celebrating, as the officials blew the whistle on the NSU bench for excessive celebration. Following the technical foul, Jelani Williams sank three free throws and gave Howard an improbable 86-84 win inside Joe Echolls Hall on Saturday night.

In my 22 years of coaching I will have never said the officials decided a game. But if you live long enough you will experience everything. It happened tonight! If you were at the game or watched, you know what I’m taking about ! Note taken!
— Robert Jones (@NSUCoachJones) January 15, 2023

“That (the technical foul) shows that the officiating in this conference is terrible,” said NSU head coach Robert Jones.

“I don’t care. They can fine me. Whatever.”

Jones retweeted others who said the Spartans were robbed of a victory by the call.

In other tweets, tagging the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s official Twitter account, Jones said, “Storming the court? Where? @meacsports. They ran … along the baseline where he got fouled out. But I’m done for tonight.”