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Showing posts with label Norfolk State University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Norfolk State University. Show all posts
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – Kicking off the new year on the right foot, the Norfolk State women’s basketball team pulled off one of its biggest upsets in several years with a 60-57 victory over George Mason Monday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.
The Patriots (7-5) had won the previous two meetings each of the last two seasons by an average of 22 points and looked to be headed to another victory after erasing a seven-point deficit in the second half. NSU (6-7), though, forced George Mason into 1-of-8 shooting in the last five minutes of the game, including a desperation trey at the buzzer by forward Janaa Pickard.
Senior Whitney Long had 15 points on the night for NSU and hit the most important basket of the game, a floater in the lane for a 56-55 lead with 46.2 seconds left. Long and sophomore Rae Corbo each hit a pair of free throws in the last 20 seconds of play right after George Mason had missed the front end of a 1-and-1 down by one with 30 seconds to go.
The win marked the first over a CAA opponent in 26 games dating back to a 55-52 victory over William & Mary during the 1999-2000 season.
NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk State earned its first women's basketball victory over a CAA foe in more than a decade Monday night, stunning George Mason 60-57 at Echols Hall.
Whitney Long hit a basket in the lane in the final minute and she and Rae Corbo each made a pair of free throws in the final 20 seconds. It was the Spartans' first win over a CAA team since the 1999-2000 season, a span of 27 games.
Long finished with 15 points and Batavia Owens had 16 for NSU (6-7), which snapped a five-game losing streak.
KYLE O'QUINN 6-10/240 CENTER, SENIOR JAMAICA, NY CAMPUS MAGNET H.S.
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland - The Norfolk State Spartans will shoot for their 10th victory of the season today as they ring in the New Year with a 4 p.m. tipoff at the Naval Academy.
If the Spartans win, it would the earliest they have won 10 games in their 15 years in Division I. And it would be a drastic improvement over the last three seasons, years in which the Spartans didn't reach the 10-win plateau until March.
"We're not talking about our record," Spartans coach Anthony Evans said. "We are taking it one game at a time. It's a cliche, but is an accurate one. "We cannot be thinking ahead to our conference games at this point. We have to concern ourselves with Navy."
SERIES NOTES: This is the first meeting all-time between the two schools.
PENDARVIS WILLIAMS 6-6/195 GUARD, SOPH. PHILADELPHIA, PA THE HUN SCHOOL (N.J.)
SETTING THE STAGE
NSU plays its first game of the 2012 calendar year this Sunday when it travels to Annapolis, Md., for its first-ever matchup with Navy. The Spartans have won two in a row, both on the road, after an 84-74 win at St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 23. Three Spartans topped the 20-point mark in that one as Pendarvis Williams had a career-high 24 points, Kyle O’Quinn posted 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Chris McEachin added a career-high 20 points. NSU will be looking Sunday for its first 10-5 start since 1996-97, when the Spartans began 13-5 in their final season of play in the Division II CIAA.
Navy dropped its sixth straight game on Friday, a 65-56 home loss to Mercer. Jordan Sugars led the Midshipmen with 21 points. J.J. Avila paces Navy with 15.2 points per game, while Sugars is second at 10.3.
COACHES
NSU - Anthony Evans (St. Thomas Aquinas ‘94), 5th season at NSU and overall, 61-77.
Navy - Ed DeChellis (Penn State ‘82), 1st season at Navy, 3-10; 16th season overall, 222-241.
Williams, O’Quinn Earn Weekly MEAC Honors
Sophomore guard Pendarvis Williams was named MEAC Player of the Week for Dec. 26 after averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in wins over Toledo and St. Francis. Williams shot 65 percent in the two games. Williams had 17 points and assisted on Kyle O’Quinn’s game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds left in the 72-70 win at Toledo. Williams followed that up with a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting at St. Francis.
This marks Williams’ first time being named MEAC Player of the Week in his career. He was named Rookie of the Week once last season.
O’Quinn averaged 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots to earn his second Defensive Player of the Week honor this year. O’Quinn blocked five shots in the win over Toledo and added two steals against St. Francis. He averaged 8.0 defensive rebounds per game and also scored 18.5 points in the two victories.
Live Video Available
NSU will offer live video streaming of all 14 home men’s basketball games in 2011-12. The cost is $5 per game ($8 for a doubleheader when paired with a women’s game), and $60 for a season pass. Visit
NORFOLK, Virginia - Norfolk State offensive coordinator Joe Blackwell said he was surprised that his contract with Norfolk State won’t be renewed after the Spartans’ championship season, but he was not angry about it.
“One thing I learned long ago,” Blackwell said. “Coaches were hired to be fired. It’s (Pete Adrian’s) program and he has a right to do what he wants with it. I don’t have hard feelings. I’m thick-skinned. I’m thankful he gave me the opportunity to be a coordinator.”
Blackwell said Adrian called him Monday to tell the former offensive coordinator about his decision. Blackwell had asked for the week off and was at the hospital with one of his daughters ...
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Norfolk State offensive coordinator Joe Blackwell won't be back with the Spartans next season. Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian said Wednesday that he chose not to retain Blackwell and told the team during a meeting earlier in the week. Norfolk State's assistant coaches are on year-to-year contracts.
"I'm not going to go into it," Adrian said. "It's something I felt like I had to do. Stuff goes on behind the scenes. Let's put it like this, there's more that goes into coaching college than Xs and Os."
Blackwell has changed his phone number since providing it to The Pilot last season and could not be reached for comment. Adrian said he expects to retain the rest of his staff.
Norfolk, Virginia -- Guess who is at the top of the list with the toughest schedule to-date in the NCAA Division 1 Mens Basketball?
That’s right, a team that a year ago would barely be considered a mid-major, the Norfolk State Spartans of Virginia has played one of the toughest schedules in November and still has a winning record. In fact, their two losses have come from the fairly dominant Marquette, who has not lost a game early in the season. That second loss to Marquette was a close one with Norfolk losing 59-57 in the championship game of the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.
Prior to the Marquette loss Norfolk defeated Drexel 61-59 and Texas Christian 66-53 to get to the championship. Norfolk also has a win over Eastern Kentucky.
NORFOLK, Va. – Host Norfolk State shot 65.7 percent from the field on its way to a 70-63 win over the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team Sunday afternoon in Echols Hall.
Norfolk State improved to 4-2 overall, its best start since the 1995-96 season. The Colonels now stand at 3-4. Spartan center Kyle O’Quinn, the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year, posted his fifth straight double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-10 senior also added five blocked shots.
Four players posted double-figure points for Eastern Kentucky led by senior guard Joshua Jones with 13 tallies. Fellow senior Jaron Jones added 10 points and a team-high four rebounds.
Norfolk State ran off seven straight points midway through the first half to take the lead for good, 16-9. The Spartans went ahead by 11 points following a Marcos Tamares three-point play, 28-17. However, the Colonels chipped away at the deficit and trailed by just four points at the break, 38-34, thanks to a Jaron Jones jumper right before the halftime buzzer.
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands -- Darius Johnson-Odom scored 20 points and Jae Crowder had a tiebreaking dunk with 1:09 left, leading No. 16 Marquette to a 59-57 victory over Norfolk State in the Paradise Jam championship game Monday night.
The Golden Eagles (5-0) never trailed and Johnson-Odom was selected tournament MVP after he scored at least 20 points in each game.
Crowder sparked a 10-2 run for Marquette with consecutive 3-pointers. The surge lifted the Golden Eagles to a 47-33 lead with 11:40 left, but Norfolk State (3-2) would not go quietly. The Spartans countered with two separate 7-0 spurts and tied it at 57 on a 3 by Pendarvis Williams with 2:03 remaining.
The Marquette men’s basketball team may have been in the warm sunshine of the Virgin Islands this past weekend, but it took care of business on the court, making mincemeat of Winthrop (95-73), Mississippi (96-66) and battling Norfolk State to a 59-57victory. Below is an evaluation of each player’s performance this weekend using an academic scale (A,B,C,D,F).
Senior forward Jae Crowder: In the 96-66 dismantling of Ole Miss, Crowder was an astounding 9-of-11 from the field and hit his first two 3-pointers. He finished with 25 points and seven rebounds. Against Norfolk State he posted his second double-double of the year (14 points, 11 rebounds). Crowder was expected to be the second fiddle to DJO, and he hasn’t disappointed thus far. A
The latter sentiment wasn't wrong. (The CAA has looked bad.) But Norfolk State assistant coach Robert Jones wasn't totally thrilled with the angle. When the link to my reaction was posted on Twitter, he responded:
ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands -- Standing at 6-foot-10, there's no way an opposing team can avoid Norfolk State University's Kyle O'Quinn. Texas Christian couldn't convert from outside so the Horned Frogs drove right at him, which is exactly what the senior center likes.
O'Quinn tallied a team-high 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots to lift the Spartans to a 66-53 victory over TCU in the 2011 Paradise Jam semifinals at the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center on Sunday.
Norfolk State (3-1), out of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, will play in the tournament championship tonight at 9:30 p.m.
"Everywhere we go, we're always the underdog," said O'Quinn, who was named the MEAC's Defensive Player of the Year last season. "Even in our conference, they picked us fourth and we felt that was a sign of disrespect. We have a team this year. We're using this tournament to prove everyone wrong."
The Spartans held a slim 28-26 advantage at halftime before O'Quinn had two 3-point plays within one minute to fuel a 14-2 scoring run. The latter 3-point play gave Norfolk State a 48-33 lead with 9:54 left.
NEXT GAME: 8:30 PM ET, Nov. 21, Norfolk State vs. #17 Marquette at Virgin Islands Sport & Fitness Center, St. Thomas, V.I. Last Game: Norfolk State 61-56 victory over Drexel on Friday at Paradise Jam Tournament, St. Thomas
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Twenty-seven years ago, an NCAA championship football bracket included Norfolk State for the first and only time. Those 1984 Spartans, coach Willard Bailey's first team, went 10-1 in their CIAA championship season. They departed the Division II tournament field in the first round, however, on a 10-point loss to Towson State.
But they would be back soon; of course they would. Isn't that how players and coaches and teams and programs are trained to think, to feel, to believe? As six head coaches came to know - seven if you include a guy who once took the job and almost immediately gave it back - "soon" didn't happen.
But maybe that makes Norfolk State's pending postseason return, secured by a 47-14 triumph Saturday at Morgan State that locked down the MEAC title, the purest of nectars to a long-famished fan base. Because it was for this renown that the Spartans (9-2, 7-1) made their then-controversial jump from Division II to the I-AA MEAC in 1997.
And it's for this turn in the national spotlight in two weeks - as 1 of 20 teams in what's now known as the Football Championship Subdivision tournament - that athletic director Marty Miller, among many, has waited. And waited.
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- It took Norfolk State 14 years to put itself in a position to win a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. It took the Spartans five minutes to clinch it. Norfolk State defeated Morgan State 47-14 Saturday thanks to a 17-point scoring flurry in the first five minutes of the second half.
The win clinches the school's first MEAC championship and earns the Spartans an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. It is the school's first FCS playoff appearance. "I feel great for them," Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. "They'll go down in history for the first MEAC title, and that's a great thing."
Norfolk State led 20-14 at halftime. It looked as though Norfolk State would run away with the game early on, but the Spartans had two drives stall out in the red zone in the first half. Norfolk State (9-2, 7-1 MEAC) struck quickly after the break, though.
Running back Randy Maynes scored on the first play from scrimmage in the quarter, a 56-yard run off right tackle that Maynes cut back for a touchdown. A defensive stop, a 28-yard field goal from kicker Ryan Estep and a Morgan State (5-5, 4-3) fumble on the ensuing kickoff quickly followed.
BALTIMORE, MD - Randy Maynes took a hand-off on the first play of the second half and handed back history. With Norfolk State leading by six and only one half of football standing between it and the playoffs, Maynes took the first play of the second half and rushed 56 yards up the middle of the Morgan State defense, erasing more than a quarter-century of football failures.
The touchdown, an inside run that Maynes bounced off-tackle, set off an avalanche of points for the Spartans in a 47-14 win over Morgan State (5-5, 4-3) and began a quick transition from close contest to championship celebration. Maynes' run made the score 27-14 and the Spartans (9-2, 7-1) tacked on 10 more points over the next five minutes, making the fourth quarter a victory march.
DATE: November 14, 2011
TIP‐OFF: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: Bradley Center (18,600) ‐ Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TELEVISION: Sports32 will feature the broadcast with Steve “The Homer”
True” (play‐by‐play) and former MU standout Jim McIlvaine (analyst) call‐
ing the action.
RADIO: 540 ESPN is the flagship station for the Marquette Radio Network.
Kent Sommerfeld (play‐by‐play) and George Thompson (analyst) will call
the action.
The Marquette University men’s basketball team wraps up a two-game homestand Monday night at 6 p.m. CT when the squad entertains Norfolk State at the Bradley Center in non-conference action. Sports32 will feature the live television broadcast, with Steve “The Homer” True (play-by-play) and former MU standout Jim McIlvaine (analyst) calling the action. Kent Sommerfeld (play-by-play) and George Thompson (analyst) will be courtside for 540 ESPN’s radio coverage. The Golden Eagles will depart Wednesday night for the U.S. Virgin Islands and open play Friday at 7:30 p.m. CT against Winthrop at the Paradise Jam.
Spartans To Make Bradley Center Debut
For the second-straight game Marquette will be facing an opponent for the first time ever. Norfolk State, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, is making its first appearance at the Bradley Center.
The Golden Eagles are a perfect 23-0 against programs currently in the MEAC, having faced nine of the 13 teams on at least one occasion. The most recent matchup came against Maryland Eastern Shore in the second game of the 2009-10 campaign and resulted in an 86-60 Marquette victory.
Norfolk State returns two starters and 11 letterwinners from last year’s squad, including Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Kyle O’Quinn. The 6-10 center claimed the league’s defensive player of the year award in 2010-11, the first-ever selection for NSU.
Norfolk, Virginia -- The Norfolk State football team is not happy with history.
The Spartans clinched a share of their first MEAC championship last weekend, making history in the process, but you'd never have known it. No. 22 Norfolk State didn't rush the field or dump a bucket of Gatorade on head coach Pete Adrian. Norfolk State huddled near its sideline, walked off the field and hopped on a bus.
"I don't know what I expected, but it's the attitude that I hoped they'd have," Adrian said. "We felt like we were the better team and we went in and we did what we were supposed to do."
It's the same mindset the Spartans are taking into today's game at Morgan State. With a win, Norfolk State can polish off its best Division I season in school history, its first playoff bid and win the conference championship outright.
Norfolk, Virginia -- For the past six seasons, the Norfolk State Spartans were set up to struggle. Each year, they would pack their bags and hit the road in November and December. There were athletic department bills to pay and schools across the country were offering the Spartans guaranteed money to play at their place. Over that six-year period, they played just eight total home games in November and December, never more than two in a season.
Last year, they had two home games in their first 12 and didn't play their third home game until Jan. 8. This season, the Spartans have six home games before the New Year arrives.
"Obviously, there were financial obligations that we had, and we needed to meet them," Spartans coach Anthony Evans said. "But we also knew it wasn't helping us to be on the road that much. So we worked at seeing what we could do to be at home more this season."
The Spartans ended up with balance. They will play 14 home games, 14 road games, and three neutral-site games when they take part in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.
Norfolk, Virginia -- As a high school junior in Florida, Chris Walley was good enough that coaches from some of the country's top college programs dropped in to watch him play. Two years later, the head coach at an Illinois junior college told him he'd never start a game. And now? Walley is one win from leading Norfolk State to its first FCS playoff game.
The senior's journey to becoming the second-most-accurate passer in the FCS has been a series of ups and downs on the way to becoming a level-headed leader. One, he says, wouldn't have been possible without the other. "He has not taken the easy road to anything," said his father, Wes Walley. "I talked to his coach for the first time (last weekend), and I told him he's more of a man at his age than I was. I was already his father."
Walley has had a spectacular season. His completion percentage of 70.3 is second in the country, and he leads the MEAC in passing yardage (212.2 yards per game), touchdowns (15) and interception rate (1.4 percent).
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA -- Norfolk State is one victory shy of securing its first Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearance. Oh, so close. But not nearly as close as four years ago. The 2007 Spartans faced Delaware State in a winner-take-all game for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's automatic postseason bid. Entering the fourth quarter, they led 21-3.
They lost 28-21 in overtime. "All part of the growing pains you have to go through," seventh-year coach Pete Adrian said Tuesday. "I try to keep that in the back of my mind," linebacker Hasan Craig said. "That really hurt. It was like having your heart taken out."
Craig, a fifth-year senior, is the only member of this year's squad who played in that contest. Suffice to say, he'll share that experience with teammates as Norfolk State prepares for Saturday's game at Morgan State (5-4, 4-2).
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Two days after earning a share of the MEAC championship, the Norfolk State football team reaped the rewards. The Spartans jumped to No. 22 in The Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25 poll on Monday, the highest ranking in the history of the program, while quarterback Chris Walley shared its national Offensive Player of the Week award.
Walley recorded a career-high five touchdowns - three in the air, two on the ground - in Norfolk State's 45-3 win over Savannah State, which clinched a share of the MEAC title, but not a playoff spot. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 271 yards and ran for 72 yards.
"I've always said that the quarterback gets too much credit when it goes well and too much blame when it doesn't," Walley said. Leading the MEAC with an average of 212.2 yards a game, he moved to fourth on NSU's all-time career passing yardage list. He has thrown 15 touchdowns against four interceptions.
Hampton, Virginia -- The Norfolk State football team clinched a share of its first-ever MEAC title with a 45-3 road win over Savannah State (1-8, 1-5) on Saturday. The Spartans (8-2, 6-1) can win the MEAC championship outright, and clinch a spot in the FCS playoffs, with a road win over Morgan State next Saturday.
Spartans quarterback Chris Walley completed 20 of 25 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with receiver Derrick Demps five times for 106 yards.
Kicker Ryan Estep set a single-season record with his 16th field goal, while wide receiver Keith Johnson went 85 yards on a reverse, the longest run from scrimmage in NSU history.
The song remained the same for the struggling Savannah State Tigers as they faced off against the Norfolk State Spartans at Ted Wright stadium Saturday.
Three touchdowns in the first quarter by Norfolk State propelled the visitors to a dominating 45-3 win and a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.
“All week long, we thought we were the better football team, just with the records and personnel,” Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. “We had to make sure we played good, tough football on both sides of the ball. We knew they were going to play hard, which they did. We’re just happy to get the win.”
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Chris Walley and Derrick Demps put the offense on track, put on shows for their family and put rings on the fingers of the Norfolk State Spartans.
Together, the Florida-born players led the Spartans to a 45-3 win at Savannah State, clinching a share of the Spartans' first MEAC title. It's the first football title of any kind for NSU since it won the CIAA in 1984. Norfolk State can win the championship outright, and the FCS playoff spot that comes with it, with a win at Morgan State next weekend.
"Obviously, it's nice to do it for the first time," head coach Pete Adrian said. "But we're not done yet. We know that."
Walley completed 20 of 25 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 72 yards and two more scores. Demps caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
SAVANNAH, GA - Quarterback Chris Walley accounted for 343 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, and visiting Norfolk State clinched at least a share of its first-ever MEAC football title with a 45-3 win over Savannah State on Saturday evening at T.A. Wright Stadium.
The win is the Spartans’ eighth of the season and sixth in MEAC play, tying the 2007 team for the most of each in school history. NSU (8-2, 6-1) still must win at Morgan State next Saturday to clinch its first outright MEAC championship and earn the conference’s automatic berth in the FCS playoffs. NSU rolled up a season-high 559 yards of total offense while holding the Tigers (1-8, 1-5) to 45, the lowest by a Spartan opponent in the Pete Adrian era. Five of NSU’s seven scoring drives lasted 70 seconds or less.
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Terrence Pugh is at Norfolk State because of history. Now he has a chance to make some of his own. A linebacker from Indian River High in Chesapeake, Pugh was part of Norfolk State's 2008 recruiting class, the group that followed the best Division I season the Spartans have produced.
"With coach (Pete) Adrian and everything, the program was on the rise," Pugh said. "I know everyone in the area is like, 'Who wants to go to Norfolk State? It's right down the street.' I always thought it would be a chance to bring a MEAC championship to the hometown."
With a victory today against Savannah State, the Spartans will earn at least a share of the MEAC title, their first since joining the conference and making the jump to Division I in 1997.
Pugh, an All-Tidewater first-team player after helping Indian River to an Eastern Region title game, chose Norfolk State over scholarship offers from Liberty, Virginia Military Institute and, most impressively, Youngstown State, a program with a far prouder tradition than Norfolk State.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – Kicking off the new year on the right foot, the Norfolk State women’s basketball team pulled off one of its biggest upsets in several years with a 60-57 victory over George Mason Monday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.
