NORFOLK, Va. – Aleek Pauline scored a team-high 24 points and Kyle O’Quinn added 21 and 12 rebounds as the Norfolk State men’s basketball team outlasted SUNY-New Paltz 101-89 in the Spartans’ final preseason exhibition on Saturday night at Echols Hall.
SUNY New Paltz hit six 3-pointers and led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but had its lead whittled to four, 47-43, heading into halftime.
The Spartans still trailed by six, 71-65, after a layup by Shereef Taylor with 9:24 remaining. But NSU responded with a 15-0 run over the next four and a half minutes to take control. O’Quinn had 10 points in the spurt.
O’Quinn finished 7-of-8 from the floor, including 1-of-1 from 3-point range, and hit 6-of-6 from the foul line. He also blocked four shots. Pauline was 6-of-12 from the floor and 12-of-15 from the charity stripe.
Brandon Wheeless and Isaac Nixon added 14 points apiece and Rob Hampton (Queens, N.Y.) chipped in 11 for NSU. Wheeless also had seven rebounds and five of NSU’s 15 steals.
Harris Wichard (Merrick/Bellmore JFK) scored 24 points and Taylor (Hyde Park/FDR) contributed 21 for the Hawks.
The Hawks open the season at Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, November 18th at 8 p.m. The home opener for New Paltz is Friday, November 20th at 8 p.m. in the Rino’s Pizza Tip-Off Tournament held at New Paltz against St. Joe’s (LI).
