NORFOLK, Va. –Sophomore Quineshia Leonard totaled 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the  Norfolk State women's basketball team over Virginia Wesleyan, 71-53, in an exhibition game at Joseph Echols Hall. 

Junior Rachel Gordon also recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Virginia Wesleyan's Sarah Seipp hit the Marlins' fifth 3-pointer of the first half to give VWC a 25-21 lead with 7:54 left in the first half.  The four point lead matched the Marlins' largest of the half, but the Spartans outscored VWC 20-5 over the final seven-and-a-half minutes in the first half. Gordon capped the first-half scoring with a jumper at the buzzer to give the Spartans a 41-30 halftime lead.

NSU controlled the second half, shooting 46.4 percent from the field in the second half, while holding the Marlins to 28.6 percent.  The Spartans led by as many as 22 points in the second half.

The Spartans held a 71-29 advantage on the boards. In addition to Leonard's 15 and Gordon's 15, senior Batavia Owens added 13 rebounds for the Spartans. NSU had 28 offensive rebounds, leading to 26 second-chance points.

Senior Recca Trice added eight assists and three steals. Juniors Rae Corbo and Aivah Parham and sophomore Ebony Brown added seven points each.

Rachel Miller led the Marlins with 12 points, while Seipp added 10.

The Spartans will open the regular season at home against the University of Pennsylvania on Friday at 6 p.m.