Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – A big rally late in the second half fell short as the Norfolk State women's basketball team fell to Bethune-Cookman, 52-50, Saturday afternoon at Joseph Echols Hall.

The Wildcats got the lead up to as much as 17 in the second half before some scrappy defense created offensive opportunities for the Spartans. A last second shot by NSU (6-5, 0-2 MEAC) did not fall as Bethune-Cookman (7-6, 1-1) held on for the victory.

Freshman Rae Corbo led NSU with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with five steals and four assists, while junior Sarah Daily tallied 13 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Freshman Rachel Gordon led the team with seven rebounds.

The Spartans, though, shot just 38.2 percent for the game, compared to 40.8 percent for the Wildcats. NSU did force 22 turnovers in the game including 17 in the second half alone. NSU committed 18 turnovers, but the Wildcats had a 13-2 advantage in second chance points.

Jasmine Elum led the Wildcats with 22 points and added seven rebounds, while Sarah Bolden tallied 10 points and six boards. Jasmine Daniels posted five assists, with Cleniece Roberts grabbing a game-high eight boards.

The Wildcats also had a 36-30 advantage on the boards, including 11 on the offensive end. The Spartans had 14 steals, 12 of those in the second half.

NSU could not find its offensive rhythm early, as Bethune-Cookman scored the first seven points of the game before junior Tyisha Bridges got the Spartans on the board with a shot just inside the top of the arc. The Spartans scored the next eight points, the last on a nifty move inside by freshman Carlon Chambers.

Both teams played tight, suffocating defense over the next part of the first half, and the Wildcats eventually got the lead to nine, 19-10, as NSU converted one basket in more than 10 minutes of play. Corbo finally broke the 12-2 run by the Wildcats when she took a few steps forward and hit an open 3-pointer with 2:36 left.

A layup by sophomore Marian Brooks underneath the basket with four seconds left made it 24-19 going into the half. Corbo, with seven points, and Daily, with six, provided most of the scoring in the first stanza.

Corbo drained another 3-pointer to open the second half, but B-CU again had an answer. The Wildcats got the lead into double digits, 32-22, and eventually extended it to 17 with 9:54 to go in the second stanza. Daily's 3-point play with 9:42 left cut the deficit to 45-31.

NSU got a run going as the defense created six turnovers in a little more than three minutes of play. The Wildcats called time up by a 47-35 score after Corbo stole the ball at midcourt and found junior Whitney Long for the fastbreak. Corbo had another steal and then went in for the fastbreak layup that made it 47-37 with 7:43 showing on the clock, as NSU went on a 12-0 run to cut it to four, 47-43, on the heels of the defensive pressure.

The Wildcats called time after hitting a 3-pointer for a 50-43 lead, but Long found Gordon alone under the basket that put NSU to within five, 50-45. After Long hit a fastbreak bunny with 1:03 left, Gordon was again open down low as Corbo's pass allowed NSU to cut it to two, 52-50, with 42.5 seconds left.

But after a jump ball in the Wildcat offensive zone went to NSU, Daily's layup with four seconds to go did not fall as Bethune-Cookman held on for the 52-50 win.

NSU will look to regroup as the Spartans take on Florida A&M Monday at 6 p.m. at Echols Hall.