Norfolk State Survives Morgan State and Advances to the MEAC Tournament Championship Game

 

Norfolk State University guard Christian Ings (0) tries to drive the ball past Morgan State Kameron Hobbs (0). Norfolk State University faced Morgan State University in the semifinals of the 2025 MEAC conference tournament at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 14, 2025. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)

By Wole Akinso (@Wole_USS)

Norfolk, VA — In the MEAC men's basketball semifinals, the top-seeded Norfolk State Spartans edged out the fifth-seeded Morgan State Bears, 58-55, to advance to the MEAC Championship game. 

Spartans guard Christian "Philly" Ings kept his team afloat in the first half, scoring nine points within the first 10 minutes. He finished the game with 19 points.

“He had it rolling, and we needed point,” said Norfolk State coach Robert Jones.

The Spartans needed every basket from Ings in the first half. Ings shot 50 percent from the field, while the rest of the team managed just 27 percent.

Morgan State’s defense played a physical, scrappy style that helped the Bears secure a 28-25 halftime lead. They maintained their advantage largely without their second-leading scorer, Will Thomas, who picked up his second foul at the 12:08 mark of the first half after fouling Norfolk State guard Christian Ings on a made three-point shot.

In the second half, arguably the best player in the MEAC, Brian Moore Jr., came alive after scoring just one point in the first half. Moore put up 13 points in the second half, finishing the game with 14. He gave the Spartans a 45-43 lead with a jumper at the 7:49 mark, and they never relinquished it. Moore was clutch down the stretch but acknowledges he must be better in the MEAC Championship game.

“I’m glad that we won the game, but I can’t do what I did today and expect us to come up on top tomorrow. I have to be much better,” said Moore.

Bears guard Kameron Hobbs was quiet after an outstanding 33-point performance against the defending MEAC Tournament champions, the Howard Bison, in the quarterfinals. He shot just 4-for-15 from the field, finishing with 11 points. Hobbs missed a game-tying three-pointer with about a second left in the game.

Coach Jones discusses his defensive approach against the First-Team All-MEAC performer.

“He had 33 last night.  You know he’s had some other big games. So, everything was tailored around him.  Whether we [are] in gaps helping, whether we [are] denying, whether we [are] taking him away, whatever we had to do.”

Norfolk State is advancing to the MEAC Tournament Championship game, where they will face either the second-seeded South Carolina State Bulldogs or the fifth-seeded North Carolina Central Eagles. The Spartans have not won the MEAC Tournament championship since 2022. A championship victory would secure them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.