After opening their season with a win last Friday night, the Pirates secured another victory Monday night against Norfolk State 78-65.
Juniors Eugene Teague and Fuquan Edwin led the team to victory, each recording a double-double. It was Edwin's second career double-double, and Teague's eight, the first with the Pirates. Edwin stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and six steals. Teague added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
"(Edwin's) got to cut his shots down a little bit." head coach Kevin Willard said. "Especially early in the game. He's got let the game come to him a little bit more."
Edwin started the game shooting 2-10 but bounced back to finish 7-19 from the field, as well as 8-9 from the free throw line.
"Well, I mean, I didn't feel too good out there." Edwin said. "I wasn't hitting or anything like that, but defensive, but defensive wise I was playing well. I think I played good."
The Pirates grabbed the lead early off a Brian Oliver three pointer and didn't look back, leading the game for most of the way. Defense was key in the game as the Pirates took advantage of Norfolk States mistakes, scoring 16 points off 15 turnovers, while allowing only nine points of their 17 turnovers.
"I'm pleased with the effort." Willard said. "We held the team to 32% shooting. I was very happy with our effort on the defensive end, I thought our offensive effort was terrible."
On the defensive end the Pirates had three players that grabbed 10 rebounds. Edwin grabbed 10, Teague with 11, and Brandon Mobley pitched in with 10 rebounds of his own. Willard was especially pleased with the way Teague hit the glass.
"What I'm happy about with him is that he's rebounding outside of his area." Willard said. "He's getting a lot offensive rebounds. He's not being a test tube rebounding, but he's pursuing the ball."
Throughout the entire first half the Pirates didn't reach the foul line one time, but during the second half they found their way to the charity stripe 27 times.
"I went back and looked at the film and the refs were right." Willard said. "We weren't going up strong and we made the corrections. I thought we got more opportunities around the rim in the second half."
Dennis Chambers can be reached at Dennis.Chambers@student.shu.edu.
