NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY/MEAC release) — No. 1 Norfolk State secured a hard-fought 58-55 victory over No. 5 seed Morgan State Friday in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament at Scope Arena.  

The Spartans earned a place in Saturday’s championship game, where they will face No. 2 seed South Carolina State.  

The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN2. 

Norfolk State improved to 23-10 with the win, though it was not without challenges. The Spartans had to overcome a late rally by Morgan State and survived two critical Bear possessions in the final 30 seconds to secure the victory. 

Christian Ings led Norfolk State with 19 points, while Brian Moore Jr. contributed 14 points, 13 of which came in the second half, including eight in the final 7:45. Moore’s short jumper at the 4:10 mark gave the Spartans a 54-47 advantage, their largest lead of the game. However, Morgan State continued to fight back, closing the gap to 58-55 on a three-point play by Rob Lawson with 59.6 seconds remaining. 

Following a timeout with 53.9 seconds left, Norfolk State was called for a shot clock violation, giving Morgan State possession with 28.9 seconds remaining. The Bears had an opportunity to tie the game but failed to capitalize. Moore was subsequently fouled but missed the front end of a one-and-one, allowing Morgan State another chance. With 7.6 seconds remaining, the Bears inbounded the ball, but Kameron Hobbs’ last-second shot missed, and the Spartans secured the rebound as time expired. 

Hobbs, who scored 33 points in Morgan State’s 91-90 quarterfinal win over Howard, led the Bears with 11 points. He was the only Bear to reach double figures, while Daniel Akitoby and Will Thomas added eight points each. Morgan State finished the season with a 14-18 record. 

Morgan State held a 32-25 lead early in the second half after four quick points from Akitoby, but Norfolk State responded with a strong run, tying the game at 37-all on an inside basket by Chris Fields Jr. The Spartans briefly led 40-37 before the Bears battled back to even the score at 43-43 with 8:52 remaining. An 11-4 run gave Norfolk State a 54-47 cushion, the largest lead of the contest. Morgan State managed to close the gap in the final minute, but the Spartans held on for the win. 

Norfolk State will now prepare for its first MEAC championship game appearance since 2023, with a chance to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.