Norfolk State coach 'angry' about being heavy underdog as a 16-seed vs 1-seed Florida basketball

RALEIGH, N.C. ― Norfolk State basketball coach Robert Jones says he coaches better when he's angry.

Jones didn't have much to smile about heading into his matchup against No. 1 seed Florida basketball on Friday at the Lenovo Center (6:50 p.m, TNT)

Specifically, Jones wondered why the 16-seeded Spartans (24-10), who played a handful of power conference teams tough during their non-conference schedule, enters its matchup with the Florida Gators as a 28.5-point underdog.

"Florida is really, really good and they bring a great program, great players, but are we that bad that the point spread is like that," Jones said. "So, I'm a little angry and I'm a little more focused and coach better when I'm angry. I think the players play better when they are angry."

Norfolk State, winners of the MEAC conference for the third time in five years, is a program with a history of pulling off upsets. In 2012, as a 15-seed, Norfolk State stunned No. 2 seed Missouri 86-84 behind 26 points from center Kyle O'Quinn. In 2019, as an 8-seed in the NIT, Norfolk State beat top-seed Alabama 80-79.

Can Norfolk State upset Florida basketball?

Jones said one of the keys for Norfolk State will be to keep Florida senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr., a consensus All-American, from taking over the game.

"He's been difficult for everyone in the country," Jones said. "We just want to slow him down. For the last five games he's been averaging even more than he's been averaging the whole season, he's been averaging 21 points per game, shooting 42% from 3, those are real numbers ....

"We can't allow him to have the big, big game ... he's public enemy number one and we have to do a good job collectively, slowing him down. It's not going to be one person."

Jones said he ratcheted up Norfolk State's non-conference schedule by design this season, with mixed results. The Spartans played Tennessee tough in Knoxville, Tenn., before falling 67-52. Norfolk State also was competitive in a non-conference loss at Stanford (70-63) but not as competitive in a non-conference loss at Baylor (94-69). In addition, Norfolk State upset High Point 77-74, a team that's a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

"We definitely used those games as a launching point, a baseline for how we know we have to perform to just even be in the game let alone winning it," Norfolk State forward Christian Ings said. "So, using those games against Tennessee and Baylor, we used those as markers to let us know where we were and how far we have to go to get to our goal."

Ings (11.9 ppg), a grad transfer from Rider, and guard Brian Moore Jr. (18.4 ppg), a grad transfer from Murray State, form an experienced backcourt tandem capable of handling and applying pressure. Norfolk State scores 15.6 points off turnovers per game.

These are heady days on the Norfolk State campus, as both the men's and women's programs are in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Newport News, Va., native and former NFL standout quarterback Michael Vick has returned to take over as head coach of the football program.

"It's just amazing for Norfolk State," Moore said. "I think we're getting a lot of national attention, and it's on us to keep that going."

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Norfolk State coach upset about point spread in matchup with No. 1 seed Florida basketball

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