Wilberforce Withstands Career-High 33 from Jamal Norris
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virgin Islands | 35 | 38 | 73 |
|
Wilberforce | 41 | 41 | 82 |
WILBERFORCE, Ohio Jamal Norris exploded for a career-high 33 points and five assists but host Wilberforce University was able to hold on for the 82-73 victory over the University of the Virgin Islands Men's Basketball team in Continental Athletic Conference action Friday evening.
The Buccaneers had to rally back from an early 25-10 deficit. UVI used a 13-2 run to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 32-25 with four minutes remaining in the first half. Eventually, Norris' three-pointer made it a two-point game with the score at 37-35.
Norris scored 33 points on 11-of-21 field goals. As a team, the Buccaneers shot nearly 46 percent (27-of-59) from the field but were bested by the 48.5 percent (32-of-66) that the Bulldogs shot for the night.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final Score: Wilberforce University def. The University of the Virgin Islands, 82-73
Records: UVI Men's 1-6; Wilberforce 4-7
Location: Gaston Lewis Gymnasium; Wilberforce, Ohio
Date: November 19, 2021
HOW IT HAPPENED
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From 3:01 in the first half to 16:23 in the second, Norris scored or assisted on 17 straight points for UVI. He kept the Buccaneers afloat as they went from being down 37-29 to 51-46. To open the final period, Norris provided the assist to a dunk from LiWayne Richardson and then added his own dunk after logging a steal. Norris answered a Wilberforce three immediately with three free throws. Norris and the Bulldogs continued trading baskets with Norris adding a jumper and a dunk for the 51-46 score with 16:23 remaining.
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With 9:17 remaining, Jamari Williams secured a rebound and took it himself for a layup to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 61-57. Wilberforce responded with a three-pointer on the next possession. That was the start of a 9-2 for the Bulldogs which allowed their lead to balloon to 68-59 with under six minutes to go.
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Jaren Johnson stopped the run by making four free throws in the span of 11 seconds to cut the deficit to 68-63. However, Wilberforce again had an answer, this time a layup. On the next UVI possession, the Bulldogs turned a Buccaneer turnover into a fastbreak dunk in a crucial moment with 4:38 remaining. The
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Bulldogs extended their lead to 74-63 before making eight free throws down the stretch to keep UVI at bay.
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With 2:16 remaining in the first half, Norris helped bring the Buccaneers back with the score at 37-35 after trailing by as many as 16 points earlier. Norris had connected on an unassisted three. Less than a minute before, Norris completed an old-fashioned three-point play (basket and the foul) to cut the deficit to 37-32. It does not get better than the always rare, always impressive four-point play that Norris turned in earlier in the half. That four-point play cut the deficit to 32-25 with under six minutes remaining.
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Trailing 30-14, Denny Gonzalez kickstarted the run with a daring pull-up three-pointer on a trailing defender. On the next possession, Norris found Richardson for a dunk. Following Eliyah Stevens' assist on Norris' four-pointer, Norris returned the favor with an assist to Stevens for the 32-27 score.
STAT FACTS
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Scoring-wise, Norris scored 21 of his 33 points in the second frame. He also scored the final eight points of the game for UVI.
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Richardson finished with 14 points and team-high totals of nine boards and three blocks.
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Johnson had six points and five boards and Will Boyd had six points and four rebounds.
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Gonzalez had seven points as a reserve. Also on the reserve unit was Stevens, who collected six rebounds, three assists, and five points.
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Cali Davis led Wilberforce with 21 points and six boards.
UP NEXT
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The Ohio road trip concludes with a November 20 date against Central State University at 3 p.m. EST.
