Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – Whitney Long celebrated her Senior Day by scoring a season-high 27 points, all in the second half and overtime, to help Norfolk State rally from a 20-point second half deficit and edge Delaware State, 78-73, on Saturday afternoon at Joseph Echols Hall.

The win gives the Spartans (10-14, 5-8 MEAC) their 10th victory of the season, the first time since 2004-05 that NSU has reached double figures in wins. NSU now has more conference wins this season (5) than the last four years combined (4).

It didn't come easy, as DSU (5-20, 2-10) stormed out to a 34-25 halftime lead and extend its advantage to 20 early in the second half. But Long scored 25 second-half points and the Spartans stormed back to take the lead, then forced overtime on Long's running layup with 7.2 seconds left in regulation that knotted it at 65-all.

In overtime, the Hornets took the lead on two Deanna Harmon free throws on the first possession of the period. But NSU answered with six straight points, all coming from sophomore guard Rae Corbo, to take a 71-67 lead. The Spartans did not trail again. DSU cut it to four, 75-71, on two more Harmon foul shots with 53 seconds left, but NSU sealed it by hitting 4-of-6 from the line in the final 39 seconds.

Things started out well for NSU, which made five of its first eight shots from the floor. Three of those came via junior center Batavia Owens, who scored 14 of her 16 points in the first half.  But the Spartans hit just four of their final 22 shots the remainder of the half, and Tasia Bristow and Harmon combined for 17 points to help the Hornets go into the break with a nine-point edge, 34-25.

DSU opened the second half by scoring the first 11 points, capped by a three-point play by Bristow, to take a 45-25 lead at the 15:26 mark. The Spartans then turned to a full-court press to start their rally. NSU forced 13 second-half Hornet turnovers, many in the backcourt. Long was responsible for several of those, as she notched five steals in the second stanza.

Long started the rally, scoring seven of the first nine points for NSU in the second half. NSU's other senior honored during the pre-game Saturday, Tyisha Bridges, also played a key role in the comeback. She hit a long two-pointer, then canned a 3-pointer the next time down the floor to help the Spartans force the first tie of the half, at 56-all, with 4:24 left.

Then it was Long's turn. She scored the final nine points of regulation for NSU, including baskets that tied the game at 63-all with 41 seconds left and at 65-all with 7.2 seconds left.

After missing her first six shots from the floor, Long hit 10-of-15 the rest of the way and scored the most points by a Spartan player this season. She also finished with seven of NSU's 13 steals. Owens added a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out, and Corbo also checked into double figures, with 15 points. Bridges contributed nine points in the home game of her career.

Bristow had 19 points to lead the Hornets. Harmon added 16 and Tierra Hawkins totaled 15.

NSU hit 27-of-65 for the game (41.5 percent), compared to 24-of-66 for Delaware State (36.4 percent). The Spartans hit an efficient 21-of-28 from the free throw line, while the Hornets connected on 23-of-29 from the charity stripe.

After ending an 11-game losing streak to Delaware State Feb. 4 on the road, the Spartans have now won two in a row over the Hornets.

NSU plays its final three games of the regular season on the road, beginning with a 2 p.m. game next Saturday at Bethune-Cookman.