Postgame Interviews: Head Coach Larry Vickers | Alexys Long

NORFOLK, Va. – Alexys Long scored 22 points with four made 3-pointers to lead Norfolk State women's basketball past Delaware State, 72-50, on Monday evening at Echols Hall.
 
The 20-point outing is the second this season for Long, who notched a career-best 29 points in Norfolk State's 78-58 win over Savannah State on Jan. 22.
 
Long out-dueled MEAC Preseason Player of the Year NaJai Pollard, who came on strong in the second half to score a team-high 21 points to go along with 12 rebounds.
 
The Spartans (14-9, 7-4 MEAC) limited the Lady Hornets (4-20, 3-8) to 28.4 percent from the floor and 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) from deep. NSU made 41.3 percent of its shots and six of its 24 3-pointers.
 
Norfolk State pounded the ball inside in the first quarter to great success, staking claim to a 23-11 edge after the opening 10 minutes of action.
 
The Spartans scored 10 points in the paint in the first to Delaware State's four and turned six offensive rebounds into eight second-chance points. On the whole, NSU out-rebounded the Lady Hornets 16-5 in the quarter.
 
Long scored the first four points of the game for the Spartans en route to a 14-point first half. The Clinton, Maryland native made five of her 12 shots in the half to go alongside four rebounds and an assist.
 
Lanayjha Ashe finally found the bottom of the net for DSU with 7:36 to play, and the two teams traded field goals until Norfolk State broke off a 14-3 run to take a 23-9 lead with 17 seconds to play.
 
Kayla Roberts scored the first four points of the run, and Long provided an exclamation mark with a trey to put the Spartans ahead by 10, 16-6. Keke Barber answered Long with a trey of her own, but NSU scored the next seven points.
 
NSU led 34-17 at the break following a low-scoring second quarter. The two teams combined for 17 points in the second period, with the Spartans out-scoring the Lady Hornets 11-6.
 
Pollard continued to struggle in the second, going scoreless and missing all six of her shots. The junior forward had only two points and six rebounds at the intermission on 1-of-12 shooting.
 
Norfolk State cooled off from 3-point land in the second, shooting just 1-of-6 from deep in the period.
 
Long started off the second half with a 3-pointer to push the Spartans ahead by 20, 37-17. NSU remained on top by 20, 45-25, with 3:42 to play in the third, but Pollard scored the next four to cut the lead to 16 – the slimmest margin of the second half.
 
The Spartans closed out the quarter on a 9-4 run to lead 54-33 going to the final period.
 
Norfolk State shot 50 percent from the field in the fourth quarter to close out the game. Roberts scored four points in the final quarter and did not miss a shot, finishing the game with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.
 
NSU out-rebounded Delaware State 55-34 for the Spartans' second game with 50-plus boards this season. Khadedra Croker paced all players with a career-high 13 rebounds.
 
The Spartans assisted on 19 baskets on Monday. Roberts shared the game-high in assists with Raven Russell with five apiece.
 
Norfolk State continues its home stand on Saturday against Savannah State at 4 p.m.