Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – Senior wing player Brandon Wheeless drained a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to lift Norfolk State to a 60-58 win over Savannah State in the MEAC opener for both schools on Saturday evening at Echols Hall.

Wheeless' heroics helped save NSU, which led most of the second half until 17 seconds remained. The Spartans (5-3, 1-0 MEAC) held a 57-56 advantage with 31 seconds left and had the ball on their own baseline. But Wheeless' inbounds pass was stolen by Jyles Smith, leading to a fast-break for SSU (3-6, 1-1). Smith was fouled and hit two free throws with 17 seconds left, giving the Tigers their first lead since early in the half.

NSU brought the ball up the floor and worked it to Chris McEachin on the right wing, McEachin then drove to his left and found Wheeless open on the left wing. Wheeless calmly drained his second trey of the game – he also hit a late 3-pointer just before the half – to give NSU the lead. SSU called timeout, but wasn't able to get a shot off in the final 1.2 seconds.

Kyle O'Quinn scored 17 points – 13 in the second half – to lead the Spartans. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for his seventh straight double-double.

The lead changed hands four times in the first four minutes of the second half before O'Quinn caught fire. He scored all the points in a 9-0 NSU run that gave NSU a 45-37 lead, its largest of the second half, with 13:51 remaining.

But O'Quinn picked up his fourth foul with 8:50 remaining, and the Tigers slowly rallied. NSU still led 57-51 after a McEachin layup with 3:53 left, but that was NSU's last field goal until Wheeless' trey. The Tigers got a three-point play from Rashad Hassan, who scored a team-high 17 points, and a layup by Cedric Smith to pull within 57-56 and set the stage for the final possessions.

Neither team led by more than six in a close first half. Joshua Montgomery hit two 3-pointers just more than a minute apart, the latter of which gave the Tigers a 31-29 lead with 1:48 remaining in the first period. But Wheeless hit a trey from the right corner off a pass from Kris Brown to send the Spartans into the half with a 32-31 advantage.

One game after committing a season-high 34 turnovers in a loss to Elizabeth City State, the Spartans had a season-low 10 turnovers on Saturday. NSU also shot 49 percent (22-of-45) from the floor, holding the Tigers to 40 percent shooting (21-of-52). SSU also struggled at the foul line, hitting just 58 percent (14-of-24).

Marcos Tamares was the only other Spartan in double figures, with 11 points. Montgomery also had 11 for SSU.

The Spartans conclude their four-game homestand on Monday night with an 8 p.m. game against South Carolina State.