Norris Tops 30 Points in a Tale of Two Halves
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virgin Islands (1-6) | 38 | 25 | 63 |
|
Central State University (2-0) | 31 | 48 | 79 |
WILBERFORCE, Ohio For the second consecutive night, Jamal Norris hit 30 points but in this whirlwind of a game, Division-II Central State University recovered from an early 18-point deficit and defeated the Buccaneers, 79-63, in men's basketball action Friday afternoon.
The University of the Virgin Islands turned in arguably its most impressive half of basketball in the first period of this one. With 3:40 remaining in the opening half, the Buccaneers had led 38-20. The Marauders closed the gap with an 11-0 run before intermission.
The script flipped in the second half as the final period was all Central State as the Marauders outscored UVI, 48-25. Norris accounted for 16 of the last 19 points for the Buccaneers. His 30 points in the game came on 9-of-21 shooting from the field and 6-of-14 from deep.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final Score: Central State University def. The University of the Virgin Islands, 79-63
Records: UVI Men's 1-7; Central State 2-0
Location: Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium; Wilberforce, Ohio
Date: November 20, 2021
GAME NOTES
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After trailing 6-0 early, UVI ignited on a truly impressive and spectacular 24-1 run to lead 24-7 with 11 minutes on the clock. Three of the first five field goals were Norris three-pointers. At one point, the Buccaneers scored on six straight offensive possessions.
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A pair of threes from Jaren Johnson had UVI up 27-9. Johnson also had four assists in the first half. After assisting on a Norris three, Johnson also assisted on a pair of LiWayne Richardson dunks, the second of which had the Buccaneers leading 33-16 with 6:30 remaining in the period. Norris was fouled on a three-point attempt and he made all his free throws to give UVI its largest lead of the game.
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Central State ended the half on an 11-0 run which featured two threes and a pair of free throws, all from Orion Monford. Early in the second half, the Marauders closed the gap to three points and each time, Eliyah Stevens scored contested layups to give the Buccaneers some breathing room.
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With 14:00 left on the clock, Norris moved UVI ahead 47-41. However, breathing room would evaporate soon once Raymon Adams tied the game at 47 and then returned with a fastbreak dunk off of a turnover for the Central State lead. Norris did move the Buccaneers back ahead with a jumper for the 50-49 advantage but then Monford hit a three to give the Marauders the lead for good. That Monford three was the start of a demoralizing, seven-minute, 20-0 Central State run that led to a 69-50 score.
STAT FACTS
- Richardson was second on the team in points, rebound, and assists with 10, 9, and three, respectively. He also had two blocks. Will Boyd had a game-high 14 rebounds and was part of a UVI team that outrebounded the Marauders, 44-30.
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Johnson finished with nine points, five boards, four assists, and three steals.
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Part of the reserve unit, Denny Gonzalez had four points, three rebounds, and two blocks and Stevens had five rebounds, four points, and two steals.
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Turnovers continue to plague the Buccaneers as they turned the ball over 20 times, compared to the Marauders' eight. Central State converted those giveaways into 26 points.
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Adams and Monford combined for 42 points for Central State, needing only 26 shots.
UP NEXT
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UVI returns home to prepare for the final road trip of the 2021 calendar year. This December road trip will have the Buccaneers face off against Trinity Baptist College on December 10th, Coastal Georgia on the 12th, and Truett McConnell on the 15th.
