BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team finished second at the Christmas City Classic after a 61-51 loss to Hartford in the championship game Sunday afternoon at Stabler Arena on the campus of Lehigh University.
 
"This Christmas City Classic tournament gave this team a sniff at how good they can be," Norfolk State head coach Larry Vickers said. "We grew as a team over the last four days and the ladies now know what it takes to win a championship."
 
Junior forward Kayla Roberts paced the Spartans (2-4) with her second straight double-double. She scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while senior guard Dominique Harper added 11 points off the bench.
 
Despite trailing by 10 at halftime, Norfolk State made several runs in the second half, but came up short in its comeback effort.
 
Hartford held a 16-13 lead after one. The Hawks extended the lead to 35-25 at halftime, after shooting 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from the field in the second period, including 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line. Norfolk State went 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from the field and 1-of-2 from deep in the period.
 
Norfolk State cut the deficit to five at 40-35, with 6:10 left in the third quarter after a jumper by Harper. However, the Hawks went on a 6-2 run to end the quarter and pushed the lead back to nine at 46-37.
 
Trailing 50-38 with 8:16 left in the game, the Spartans scored 11 of the next 14 points to get within striking distance at 53-49, with just under three minutes left in the game. Harper capped the run when she made two free throws to get the Spartans as close as they would get in the second half.
 
Hartford (4-2), however, made 7-of-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch to close out the game.
 
Roberts and Harper led the way in the first half, registering six points each. Roberts grabbed eight of her 12 rebounds in the first half. She averaged a double-double in the tournament after her 23-point, 14-rebound performance in the opening game with Lehigh.
 
Defensively, NSU held the Hawks to 21of-62 (33.9 percent) from the floor, including just 8-of-24 (33.3 percent) for the game. Hartford shot just 8-of-28 (28.5 percent). The Spartans also outrebounded Hartford 43-41 for the game.
 
"The level or competition in the tournament was high and our defense and rebounding have remained consistent," Vickers said. "The offense will eventually come."
Norfolk State shot 27.8 percent (15-of-54) from the floor for the game, including 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) behind the arc.  
 
Roberts and senior guard Jordan Strode were named to the Christmas City Classic All-Tournament Team.
 
Norfolk State will travel to High Point, N.C. to face the Panthers Wednesday night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.