NSU's win streak no match for Morehead State

NORFOLK

Morehead State shot a hole in Norfolk State's winning streak.

The Eagles, members of the Ohio Valley Conference, rolled into Echols Hall on Tuesday night for a non-conference match-up with Norfolk State, which had won eight straight. They brought a silky shooting touch and a game plan to disrupt Spartans star Kyle O'Quinn.

They stuck to the plan throughout, posting a 75-69 win over the Spartans, who fell to 15-6 and lost for the first time in over a month.

Eagles guard Ty Proffitt went 4 for 5 from beyond the 3-point arc and Morehead State went 11 for 18 (61.1 percent) on treys to hold off the Spartans down the stretch.

While the Eagles (11-11) were red-hot, the Spartans were ice-cold at the free-throw line, finishing 11 for 23 (47.8 percent), including 3 for 12 in the first half.

"We lost this game at the line," said O'Quinn, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. "My Boys Club team could have beaten us the way we shot free throws. We could sit here and talk about it all night, but it's not going to change the facts."

Somehow, the Spartans had a chance to win it anyway.

After trailing by 10 early in the second half, Norfolk State pulled to within 67-66 with three minutes remaining when Rob Johnson canned a 14-footer in the lane.

After a rare Morehead miss, Johnson lined up a 3-pointer with 2:12 remaining that rimmed out. Morehead missed again and the Spartans had the ball with 1:40 left.

Spartans guard Pendarvis Williams threw up an air ball from the left side, which O'Quinn caught. He spun to the bucket and tried a short bank shot. But that missed too.

It was only O'Quinn's seventh shot from the field. For much of the night, the Eagles double-teamed him from all angles, forcing him to pass. O'Quinn didn't help matters at the line either, going 6 for 12.

After O'Quinn's final miss, the Spartans sent the wrong player to the line in Proffitt, who went 6 for 6 from the stripe for the night.

Then again, the Spartans weren't really sure who they should foul.

"I have to give them their props," said Chris McEachin, who scored a game-high 19 points for the Spartans. "They could flat-out shoot. "

The Spartans knew coming in that Morehead State, which gave 11th-ranked and unbeaten Murray State a scare a week ago, was a team of sharpshooters.

"Morehead State almost made the Sweet 16" in last year's NCAA tournament, Norfolk State coach Anthony Evans said. Eagles coach Donnie Tyndall "recruits shooters. I could go ask him what kinds of drills they practice, but that's not it. I mean, they were 8 for 10 in the first half alone. They lost a couple players to the pros after last season, but they still have shooters."

The Spartans will return to their home court Saturday to host Morgan State.

The Spartans remain atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings at 7-0.

"Maybe we'll take our free throws more seriously in practice now," O'Quinn said. "There's been too much laughing it up going on lately."

NSU had not lost in more than a month. Their season record falls to 15-6, though they remain atop the MEAC with a 7-0 record.