NORFOLK, Va.– A furious comeback that nearly erased a late 13-point deficit came up short as Bethune-Cookman fell to Norfolk State, 75-68, at Echols Hall Monday night. Cletrell Pope totaled his MEAC-leading 10th double-double with a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds.  
 
BCU (6-11, 1-2) trailed 66-53 with 2:44 remaining before embarking on a 9-0 run over the next 1:35. Dondre Duffus, who had a season-high 19, converted an and-one and lay-in, Wali Parks (10 pts) buried a pair of free throws, and Pope finished off a Houston Smith pass. NSU (9-10, 4-0) then made good on seven of its last eight free throws to remain undefeated in conference action.
 
The Spartans went 15-19 at the line compared to a 16-28 effort by the Wildcats. NSU's Derrick Jamerson led all players with 26 points thanks to seven three-pointers. 
 
The first half saw little separation as neither team led by more than five. BCU led for 5:43 and NSU for 5:40, but the Spartans took the lead into the break with a Wildcat scoring drought. BCU was unsuccessful from the field over the final 5:54 as NSU went on a 10-2 run to take a 32-28 lead into intermission.
 
Pope's 12 points and six boards paced a Wildcat offense that went 9-22 from the floor while Jamerson canned four treys en route to 14 first half points. The Spartans shot 13-30 and 4-14 from distance.
 
BCU returns home to face Delaware State Saturday at 4 p.m. 
 
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