Norfolk State overtakes South Carolina State 68-54

Mar 11, 2015, 11:02 pm

NORFOLK, Va. -- Jeffrey Short scored 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting to lead No. 2 seed Norfolk State to a 68-54 win over seventh-seeded South Carolina State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinals Wednesday night.

D'Shon Taylor added 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Norfolk State (20-12), which trailed by 15 in the first half before shaving the gap with a 16-2 run to head into the locker room down 31-30.

Short scored all but three of the points in the first half run and hit a layup early in the second to spark a 9-0 burst that made it 44-35 with 11:46 left. The Spartans held on from there, finishing with 25-for-48 shooting from the field (52.1 percent).

Edward Stephens led SC State (11-22) with 14 points and Jalen White added 11.

The Spartans will face the winner of No. 6 seed Hampton and No. 3 seed Maryland-Eastern Shore in Friday's semi-final.