Seawolves Holiday Classic
Dec. 28-29
Island Federal Credit Union Arena, Stony Brook, N.Y.
NSU Tournament Notes
NSU vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 28, Noon): Live Stats  |  Live Video
NSU vs. Stony Brook (Dec. 29, 2:30 p.m.): Live Stats  |  Live Video

NORFOLK, Va. - The Spartan women's basketball team (2-7) returns from the holiday break and caps the 2014 portion of its 2014-15 slate with the two-day Seawolves Holiday Classic hosted by Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y. NSU meets Holy Cross at noon on Sunday to open the tournament, then meets host Stony Brook at 2:30 p.m. on Monday in final-day action.

Last Time Out
Jada Payne tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds, and host East Carolina limited Norfolk State to 23 percent shooting in the Pirates' 65-36 win over the Spartans on Dec. 20. Rae Corbo scored 15 points to lead the Spartans (2-7), who lost their second straight.

Despite struggling on the offensive end and missing leading scorers Corbo and Kayla Roberts for stretches of the first half due to foul trouble, NSU drew within four points of ECU (9-2) early in the second half. After her team trailed 29-21 at the break, Corbo hit a 3-pointer less than two minutes into the second half and then a free throw 30 seconds later to bring the Spartans within 29-25.

Corbo's free throw would be NSU's last point for more than six minutes, however. ECU outscored the Spartans 15-5 over a nine-minute stretch, helping the Pirates methodically extend their lead to 44-30 after an Abria Trice 3-pointer with 8:11 remaining in the game. ECU widened its margin late, ending the game on a 19-4 run over the final six minutes.

Corbo was the only Spartan to score more than six points. Nia Roberts had six points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

Scouting the Opponents
Holy Cross enters the tournament with a 3-8 record following a 78-63 win over UMass-Lowell last Monday. Raquel Scott leads three Crusaders averaging in double figures. Scott checks in at 21.4 points per game. HC's other two wins this season have come over Georgetown and Boston College. Scott was a preseason All-Patriot League selection for the Crusaders, who were picked to finish third in their conference this season.

Stony Brook dropped to 5-6 for the pre-Christmas portion of its schedule after a 76-70 loss at Wagner on Dec. 21. Sabre Proctor averages a team-high 16.6 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per outing. Proctor, who spent one year at North Carolina A&T before transferring to SBU, was a preseason All-America East selection. The Seawolves were picked to finish second in the America East Conference preseason poll.

All-Time Series vs. The Field
This weekend's matchup will be NSU's first-ever against Holy Cross and just its second against Stony Book. The Spartans and Seawolves met during the 1999-2000 season, NSU's third in Division I, with the Spartans winning 48-43 on Dec. 28, 1999 in the championship game of the Holiday Inn Express Invitational in Stony Brook, N.Y.