NORFOLK, Va. — Joe Bryant Jr. led all scorers with a game-high 23 points to lead the Norfolk State men’s basketball team to the 2022 MEAC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship with a 72-57 win over Coppin State in the finals. With the win the Spartans claim the MEAC automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and will find out their opponent and location on Sunday during the annual selection show.
This marks the second-straight tournament title for NSU after winning the tournament last year and picking up a win over Appalachian State in the First Four in Indianapolis.
Neither team could find a quick start as a three by Bryant 3:19 into the game was the first points put on the scoreboard. The Spartans built up a four-point lead with 13:45 remaining in the first half on a dunk by Dana Tate Jr. It was not until a three pointer by Alex Rojas that the Eagles took their first lead of the game at 11:18.
Both the Eagles and NSU went back and forth on the scoreboard in a low-scoring first half with neither team building more than a four-point margin, a lead that the Spartans had going into halftime, 24-20.
Bryant had 14 of his 23 points in the first half. As a team, the 24 team points was the lowest scored by the Spartans this season. On the boards, NSU had a 27-12 lead during the first 20 minutes of action. The Spartans shot 34.6% while holding the Eagles to just 23.3% on 7-30 shooting.
The second half was a contrast to the first with NSU stretching their lead to 10 less than two minutes into the period on a free-throw by Kris Bankston. A three by Tate with 16:30 on the clock extended the lead to 16.
A layup by Justin Steers with 11:41 brought CSU back within single digits, but that was the closest the No.7 seed got the rest of the game. The Spartan defense on more than one occasion held the Eagles scoreless for two or more minutes in the second half. NSU led by as many as 18 when Bankston hit a layup with 7:25 left. A layup by Steers with 25 second left provided the final two points for CSU and the final score, 72-57.
Jalen Hawkins and Tate also reached double figures with 17 and 13 points, respectively. For the game, the Spartans out rebounded the Eagles 41-26. From the free-throw line, NSU 13-15 going 12-13 in the second half.
The Spartans (24-6) now await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday to find out where they will be playing next.