RALEIGH, N.C. (Courtesy of NSU Athletics) – After securing the program’s fourth MEAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance with a thrilling 66-65 victory over South Carolina State, Norfolk State looks to shock the world against one of the top teams in the nation.
The No. 16 seed Spartans (24-10, 11-3 MEAC) face No. 1 seed Florida (30-4, 14-4) in the NCAA Tournament First Round on Friday evening in the second postseason meeting between the teams.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
An NSU win would:
mark the Spartans’ third NCAA Division I Tournament victory in program history
send Norfolk State to the Round of 32 for the second time in program history
mark just the third 16-over-1 upset in NCAA Tournament history
give Norfolk State its first-ever win over Florida
mark 25 wins this season for the Spartans, their highest total since the 2011-12 campaign
CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN
Norfolk State took down South Carolina State 66-65 in the MEAC Tournament Final on Saturday, securing the Spartans’ fourth-ever conference tournament title
Christian Ings led NSU with 16 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists, knocking down the game-winning free throw in the game’s final 10 seconds. He was named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team
Brian Moore Jr. logged 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, earning MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors
NSU head coach Robert Jones was named the MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach for the third time in his career
South Carolina State led 34-25 at halftime
Norfolk State held a 10-point advantage with 2:09 to play, but South Carolina State tied the game 65-65 with 10 seconds to play before Ings drew a foul for the winning free throw
Saturday’s game featured seven ties and five lead changes
SERIES HISTORY
Friday will mark the second ever meeting between the Norfolk State and Florida men’s basketball programs
The teams met in the Round of 32 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, after the No. 15 seed Spartans took down No. 2 seed Missouri
Florida defeated NSU 84-50 in the teams’ lone meeting
THE PATH AHEAD
Norfolk State enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 16 seed, facing No. 1 seed Florida in the first round in Raleigh, N.C.
With a win against Florida, the Spartans would remain in Raleigh to face the winner of the No. 8 seed and No. 9 seed matchup between UConn and Oklahoma
Norfolk State’s second round matchup would take place on Sunday, Mar. 23
The national championship game is slated for 8:50 p.m. on Monday, April 7 in San Antonio, Texas
GATOR SCOUT
Florida enters the NCAA Tournament with a 30-4 overall record, going 14-4 in SEC play
The Gators ride a six-game win streak, defeating Tennessee 86-77 to secure the program’s fifth SEC Tournament championship
Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., leads the Gators with 17.5 points per game, becoming the first player in program history to earn First Team All-American honors
Clayton led the Gators with 22 points in the SEC title game against Tennessee, scoring 22 points and draining four 3-pointers
CINDERELLA STORY
Norfolk State produced one of the most memorable moments in NCAA Tournament history 13 years ago, taking down No. 2 seed Missouri 86-84 on Mar. 16, 2012 in just the fifth 15-over-2 seed upset in NCAA Tournament history
Future NBA draft pick Kyle O’Quinn led the Spartans with 26 points and 14 rebounds, including an iconic and-one tip-in layup to put Norfolk State ahead in the final minute
Current Norfolk State men’s basketball head coach Robert Jones was the Spartans’ associate head coach when the team upset Missouri, and current Norfolk State women’s basketball head coach Larry Vickers was an assistant coach on the staff
Norfolk State became the first No. 15 seed to upset a No. 2 seed since 2001
The Spartans earned their second NCAA Tournament victory in 2021, defeating App State 67-53 in the First Four to advance into the 64-team bracket
POSTSEASON ACCOLADES
Brian Moore Jr. took home All-MEAC First Team honors last week, as well as the MEAC Newcomer of the Year accolade at the conference’s annual postseason awards ceremony
Christian Ings was named to the All-MEAC Third Team
Kuluel Mading landed on the MEAC All-Defensive Team
Moore marked the ninth Spartan All-MEAC First Team selection of head coach Robert Jones‘ tenure
FREQUENT FINALISTS
Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones was named a finalist by CollegeInsider.com for three prestigious recognitions last week: Hugh Durham Award (top mid-major head coach), Ben Jobe Award (top minority head coach), and Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award (head coach who displays integrity on and off the court)
Brian Moore Jr. was announced a finalist by the publication for both the Riley Wallace Award (nation’s top transfer) and Lou Henson Award (top mid-major player)
Senior guard Jaylani Darden was named a finalist for the Nolan Richardson Award, presented annually to a Division I player who is the heart and soul of his team and a leader on and off the court
GOLD STANDARD
Norfolk State earned its 20th win of the season against Morgan State on Senior Day, marking the Spartans’ fourth consecutive season with 20+ wins
The Spartans became the first MEAC team in the conference’s history to earn 20+ wins in four straight seasons
MAGIC MOORE
Murray State transfer Brian Moore Jr. has taken the MEAC by storm in his first season with Norfolk State, averaging 18.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 54.6 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from behind the arc
Moore is the only guard in the nation averaging at least 18.0 points per game while shooting 54.5 percent or better from the field (min. 20 games played)
REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
Norfolk State earned a share of the MEAC Regular Season title with a 81-69 victory at Howard, the team’s fifth regular season crown under head coach Robert Jones
Norfolk State has finished in at least a tie for second in the MEAC in nine of Jones’ 12 seasons at the helm, never ending a season below fourth place in the conference
Five of Norfolk State’s six MEAC regular season titles have come during Coach Jones’ tenure
HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL
Murray State guard Christian Ings has electrified crowds throughout his four years at NSU with his high-flying athleticism
Ings gained viral fame during a Senior Night win over Morgan State with two dunk of the year candidates within a span of 90 seconds
The dunks against Morgan State came in as the No. 1 and No. 3 top plays, respectively, on ESPN’s SportsCenter that night
ESPN presented Ings with the “Best Visual Effects” award later that week for his monster slams in an ode to the 97th Academy Awards
Ings currently averages 11.9 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and 47.9 percent from behind the arc, earning All-MEAC Third Team accolades
MID-MAJOR POLL
Norfolk State snuck back into the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25, earning the No. 25 slot on Monday
Norfolk State is the only HBCU featured in the latest ranking
