Norfolk, Va.- Host Norfolk State, a team which reached the third
round of the NCAA Championship a year ago, hit 54 percent from the
floor and 9-of-15 from behind the arc and defeated UMBC, 83-66 at
Echols Hall in the first meeting between the two schools.
UMBC senior guard Ryan Cook (Laurel,
Md./Pallotti) led the visitors with 22 points, scoring 20 or more
for the fifth time this season.
But UMBC, which played a double-overtime game vs. American on
Thursday, misfired on all 16 attempts from behind the arc and could
not keep pace with the Spartans.
NSU (6-5) junior guard Malcolm Hawkins scored 14 of his
team-high 20 points in the first half.
The Spartans came out blazing hot in the first half, hitting
7-of-9 three-point attempts, led by Hawkins, who buried 3-of-4.
Conversely, UMBC misfired on 21 of 29 attempts from the floor
(27.6%) and were assisted by 14 Norfolk fouls, which resulted in 13
(of 19) Retriever free throws.
UMBC had an early 3-2, but the Spartans went on a 16-4 run and
led,18-7, with 12:33 to play in the first half. NSU extended the
margin to 36-20 with 4:53 to play in the half before the Retrievers
shaved the deficit to 42-29 at the break.
The Retrievers battled back and nearly halved the deficit,
getting to within 55-48 on a Cook short bank shot with 11:23
remaining. But after a time-out, NSU's Rob Johnson hit a trey,
starting a 11-2 run which put the hosts ahead, 66-50 with 8:27
remaining.
UMBC (2-8) made one more push, getting to within 70-60 on a Chase
Plummer (Plainfield, N.J./St. Patrick) layup with 4:39 to play,
but Johnson again responded with a field goal and the Retrievers
could not cut into the deficit.
Junior post Brett Roseboro
(Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) scored in double figures for the fifth
consecutive game, scoring 12 points. Local product and reserve
guard Jamar
Wertz (Suffolk, Va./King's Fork), who had dozens of friends and
family in the stands, gave UMBC a spark with 10 points. Plummer
posted a season-high 14 rebounds.
Johnson had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds for
NSU.
UMBC outrebounded the hosts, 43-37 and had 20 second-chance
points to 4 for Norfolk State.
The Retrievers return home to face Coppin State on Wednesday
,the final game before the exam period.
