NORFOLK, Va.- Troyce Manassa scored a career-high 29 points but Savannah State would fall to Norfolk State 80-76, in a game played at Echols Hall.

The crowd of 1,512 saw a Spartans squad down by eight in the second half but used a 10-1 run to grab a 65-64 lead with 6:46 remaining.

SSU responded with a 10-2 run as Joshua Floyd, Manassa, Dexter McClanahan and Austin Dasent all scored baskets to put the Tigers in front 74-67, with 4:22 left.

Following a 30 second timeout, Norfolk State's Zaynah Robinson hit a 3-pointer and Stavian Allen followed with a pair of free throws and a jumper to knot the game at 74.

The Spartans took the lead for good with 1:46 remaining after a 3-pointer by Kerwin Okoro.

Two free throws by Manassa closed the Tigers gap to 77-76 with 32 seconds left but could get no closer as Norfolk State made three free throws in the final ten seconds.

McClanahan added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers while freshman Zach Sellars had a career-high 10 assists.

The loss drops SSU to 4-12 overall and 1-2 in conference action.

Norfolk State scored the first six points of the game but SSU rallied back to tie the game at 12 with 15:10 on the clock.

Midway in the first period, after two free throws by McClanahan, the Tigers took their first lead of the game, 23-21.

NSU led by as many as six on three occasions during the final four and a half minutes of the first half but Savannah State battled back and went into intermission down 45-42.

Savannah State opened the second half with seven straight points as they used a 18-7 run to build a 60-52 lead with 14:23 left.

SSU finished the game shooting 32.6 percent from the field and only hit eight of their 44 3-point shots.

Norfolk State (4-12, 1-1) was led by Robinson's 21 points.

The Spartans out-rebounded SSU 53 to 47 while shooting 41.2 percent from the field.

The game had six ties and 10 lead changes.