Norfolk State overcomes Savannah State 56-49

Jan 27, 2014, 10:00 pm

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Malcolm Hawkins scored 16 points as Norfolk State used a 17-2 run late in the second half to knock Savannah State out of first place in the Mid-Eastern Conference with a 56-49 win on Monday.

Trailing by eight late in the second half, Norfolk State (12-9, 6-2) scored 14 unanswered points, recapturing the lead with a Pendarvis Williams jumper that made it 49-47 with 3:40 left, and held Savannah State to two points in the final 6 minutes.

Williams contributed 13 points, while Rashid Gaston had seven points and 13 rebounds for the Spartans, who held a 40-30 rebounding advantage in their fifth-straight win over the Tigers.

Savannah State (7-14, 5-2) entered the game atop the MEAC standings by a half game. It took the lead midway through the second half on a Joshua Montgomery layup that made it 33-31 with 13:20 left.

Montgomery led the Tigers with 13 points.