Norfolk State brings New York City mindset as massive March Madness underdog

RALEIGH, N.C.— There will be some New York City flavor on the floor Friday for the NCAA Tournament opening round at the Lenovo Center. Norfolk State, the No.

16 seed taking on No.1 seed Florida at 6:50 p.m.

Friday, is led by its coach of 11 years, Robert Jones, a native of Jamaica, Queens.Jones’ best player is Brian Moore, a Harlem native who leads the team with 18.4 points per game. “Growing up in New York City, you can’t be soft,’’ Jones told The Post Thursday.

“You have to have a level of toughness.My team understands the intensity that you have to play with, the intensity I’m going to bring to them and hopefully they bring back to me.’’ Jones was an assistant coach at Norfolk State in 2012, when it stunned No.

3 seeded Missouri, a 21 ½-point favorite, in the first round of the NCAAs. He’s reminded his team, a 28 ½-point underdog to Florida, of that game, and even brought in that team’s star player, Kyle O’Quinn, to speak to the players last week. “I just talked to them about the belief that those guys had,’’ Jones said.“There was a belief from the Selection Sunday that we were gonna win.

Kyle talked to the guys the other day about having that belief even though the odds are insurmountable against you.I think the guys probably got a little bit more belief when they heard his speech.’’ Jones joked, “I coach better when I’m angry, and I’m angry a little bit about the way the point spread is.

I know Florida’s really, really good, and they run a great program, got great players, but are we that bad that the point spread is like that? “I’m a little angry, and I’m a little bit more focused and play better when I’m angry.I’m a New York City guy, so I guess I’m angry by nature, coming from up there.

I coach with a chip on my shoulder. Want to tune into as much March Madness as you can? DIRECTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV both have you covered with every channel you’ll need, plus free trials.“I t...