National Basketball Association
Norfolk State 80, Alabama 79
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Officials:
# James Baker, # Jeff Pon, # Doug Shows
Attendance:
2086
By Field Level Media
Derrik Jamerson Jr. made seven 3-pointers and scored a game-high 25 points as eighth-seeded Norfolk State upset top-seeded Alabama 80-79 in overtime in an NIT first-round game Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jamerson scored eight of the Spartans' 13 points in the extra period. The Spartans' Nic Thomas finished with 15 points, Steven Whitley had 13 points, and Jordan Butler added 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Norfolk State (22-13), the regular-season champion of the MEAC, will face fourth-seeded Colorado, which defeated fifth-seeded Dayton 78-73 on Tuesday, in the second round.
Herbert Jones scored the Crimson Tide's final six points and finished with 18. Alex Reese scored 17, John Petty added 11 and Kira Lewis Jr. had 10.
Alabama, which fell just short of a bid to the NCAA Tournament, finished 18-16 after dropping to 0-3 in NIT games in coach Avery Johnson's four seasons.
Jamerson's 3-pointer started the scoring in overtime before Donta Hall scored four consecutive points for Alabama.
Whitley's 3-pointer put Norfolk State back on top, and Thomas' two free throws gave the Spartans a 75-71 lead with 1:54 left.
Hall made two free throws, but Jamerson hit another 3-pointer to give Norfolk State a 78-73 lead with 40 seconds left.
Jones converted a three-point play before Jamerson pushed the lead back to four by making two free throws.
A 3-pointer by Jones cut the deficit to one point with nine seconds left.
The Spartans turned the ball over, giving the Crimson Tide a chance to win, but Riley Norris missed a jumper with one second left.
Alabama led by seven at halftime, and the margin quickly grew to 10 points on Lewis' 3-pointer.
Jamerson made two 3-pointers and Thomas sank one as Norfolk State pulled even at 40.
There were three more ties and 10 lead changes before Thomas' two free throws gave the Spartans a 63-61 lead with 3:59 remaining.
Alabama got within one before Alex Long's jumper gave Norfolk State a 67-64 lead with 1:28 left.
Hall missed two free throws for the Tide, but Thomas missed a layup for the Spartans before Petty's 3-pointer pulled Alabama even with 20 seconds left in regulation.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Norfolk State |
|
Alabama |
|
Derrik Jamerson Jr. 25 |
Scoring |
Herbert Jones 18 |
|
Steven Whitley 7 |
Assists |
Dazon Ingram 6 |
|
Jordan Butler 13 |
Rebounds |
Donta Hall 12 |
|
Nic Thomas 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Herbert Jones 5 |
|
Nic Thomas 4 |
Steals |
Donta Hall 1 |
|
Jordan Butler 1 |
Blocks |
Galin Smith 3 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Norfolk State
|
80 |
37.5 |
11-29 |
9-11 |
10 |
46 |
2 |
12 |
11 |
| Alabama
|
79 |
42.0 |
11-30 |
10-17 |
17 |
42 |
6 |
5 |
16 |
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