NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State freshman Chris Fields Jr. poured in a career-high 31 points on Monday night, as the Spartans (11-8, 1-1 MEAC) flew past Virginia University of Lynchburg 118-73 at Echols Hall.
22 of Fields' points came in the second half, shooting a hyper-efficient 12-of-13 from the field for the night. Norfolk State's 118 points broke the team's Division I single game record, surpassing the Spartans' 115 points against Newberry College on Nov. 13, 2013.
Five Spartans reached double-figures on Monday: Fields, George Beale Jr. (18), Allen Betrand (14), Christian Ings (13), and Daryl Anderson (11). Ings accounted for seven assists, while the team totaled 28 assists, another Division I program record.
Norfolk State shot 46-of-79 (58.2 percent) from the floor, knocking down 10-of-30 attempts from behind the arc (33.3 percent).
Just one week after tallying 12 rebounds at North Carolina Central, Nyzaiah Chambers pulled down 13 boards against the Dragons on Monday for a new career high.
Earning his first start of the season, Beale got comfortable right away, scoring the first eight points of the night for the Spartans on a pair of second-chance baskets and a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer.
Anderson and Kuluel Mading both knocked down shots from behind the arc, increasing the advantage to double-digits within four minutes of action. Ings took flight for a thunderous slam a few minutes later, getting the crowd involved.
Ings flew to the rim again during the first half, catching a lob from Jack Doumbia on the fast break. Doumbia made a turnaround jumper on the Spartans' next possession for his first points of the night.
Fields drained the third 3-pointer of his collegiate career, before going to the rim with power for a layup the next trip down the floor. Tyrese Jenkins knocked down back-to-back shots from behind the arc, helping the Spartans go to halftime with a 59-29 lead.
Beale started the second half with the same energy as the first, hitting a 3-pointer as soon as he touched the ball. Ings reached double-figures with a strong layup, finding Doumbia for a baseline slam a few minutes later.
Fields began to heat up midway through the second half, getting into the paint at will. A second-chance slam by the Petersburg native put Norfolk State past the 100-point mark, and he added another dunk within minutes.
Knocking down a 3-pointer with under four minutes remaining, Fields reached 24 points. Gilbert Brown connected with him for back-to-back baskets in the final minute, setting up a thunderous dunk right before the horn to cap off a career night.
