NSU Women (0-3) vs. Oakland (2-1)
Tuesday, Nov. 24 * 6 p.m. * Echols Hall
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NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State women's basketball team returns home seeking its first win of the 2015-16 season Tuesday night when the Spartans host the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland (Mich.) University. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. at Echols Hall. The game marks NSU's last home game in the month of November.

Scouting NSU: NSU fell to 0-3 on the young season with its closest decision of the year so far, a 75-67 defeat at Loyola (Md.) on Saturday. The host Greyhounds led the entire way, but NSU cut its deficit to one on three occasions in the second half. A Kayla Roberts layup to start the fourth quarter brought NSU to within 53-52, but the Spartans didn't make another field goal until the 5:17 mark of the period. Loyola shot 48 percent from the floor, 42 from 3-point range, and 87 from the free-throw line in the victory.

Roberts led NSU with a season-high 24 points and 11 rebounds, her second double-double of the season. Siobhan Beslow added 13 points and nine rebounds, and both Koryn Lawrence and Yazmen Hannah scored 10 points apiece for the Spartans, who shot a season-best 47 percent from the floor.

Scouting Oakland: Oakland University of the Horizon League improved to 2-1 on the season with a 77-67 win at Niagara University on Saturday in New York. Elena Popkey scored a season-high 21 points while Sinclair Russell recorded a double-double with a career-high 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies, who placed four players in double figures.

Oakland also has a victory over NAIA Michigan-Dearborn (123-38) and a loss to Central Michigan (110-87) this year. The Golden Grizzlies are averaging 95.7 points per game, led by Taylor Jones' 15.3 scoring average. She is one of five players averaging double figures for Oakland, along with Russell (13.7), Olivia Nash (12.7), Nicole Dodd (12.0) and Nola Anderson (11.7).

Oakland was picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Horizon League this year. Popkey and Nash were preseason all-conference second-team selections.
        
All-Time Series vs. Oakland: NSU and Oakland have met just one previously in their history, with the Golden Grizzlies earning a 99-85 home win in the 1991-92 season when both teams competed in Division II. Interestingly enough, both teams began their transition to being Division I athletics programs in the 1997-98 school year.

Roberts Comes to Life: Kayla Roberts has led NSU in scoring in each of its three games, but had struggled at times with opposing defenses focused on her in the first two games. She broke out with her best game of the year Saturday at Loyola, notching 24 points (two shy of her career high) on 10-of-23 shooting. She also tied her season high with 11 rebounds.