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NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team (9-14, 8-4 MEAC) looks to avenge an earlier-season loss to Coppin State (5-18, 4-8) and put an end to an 18-game losing streak against the Eagles this Saturday in Baltimore when the teams meet at 2 p.m. at the Physical Education Complex. This marks the second straight weekend NSU will travel to the Charm City, after beating Morgan State 64-56 last Saturday.
Media CoverageThe game will be broadcast live on WNSB Hot 91.1 FM. Links to live stats and free live audio can be found at the top of the page.
Last Time OutRae Corbo scored a game-high 25 points and
Kayla Roberts added 19 points and nine rebounds to propel Norfolk State over Morgan State, 64-56, last Saturday in Baltimore.Â
NSU's recent formula for success paid off again, with Corbo and Roberts leading the way offensively and the Spartans using a strong effort on the boards and on defense to secure the win. The Spartans outrebounded MSU 47-28 and held the Lady Bears to 35 percent shooting.
NSU never trailed. The Spartans forced seven turnovers and MSU missed eight of its first 10 shots while NSU sprinted out to a 19-5 lead midway through the first half. Roberts scored 10 of NSU's first 19 points and had 14 altogether in the first half.
The Spartans led 23-8 with eight minutes left in the first half, but went cold late in the half, as a Corbo 3-pointer with 5:03 left in the half proved to be the Spartans' last field goal of the stanza. A Tracey Carrington 3-pointer and an inside basket by Lexus Spears brought MSU within 28-22 going into the half.
A Carrington layup with 17:55 left cut Morgan State's deficit to 29-27. But that would be as close as the Lady Bears would get as Corbo fueled the Spartans in the second half. She and Roberts both hit 3-pointers in a 10-0 NSU run, pushing NSU's advantage back to 12.
Scouting Coppin StateThe Lady Eagles (5-18, 4-8) are on their first two-game winning streak of the year after wins over Howard (75-61) and Delaware State (80-62) over the last week. Those two games mark the two highest scoring outputs for CSU this year. Jordan Swails leads CSU with 10.9 points per game and also averages 6.1 rebounds. Janelle Lane (9.9), Bria Harris (9.1) and Genesis Lucas (8.0) all average at least eight points per game.
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All-Time Series vs. CSU: The Eagles own a 24-6 all-time series advantage against the Spartans and have won 18 straight against NSU. The Spartans' last win in the series was a 65-57 triumph at Echols Hall on Jan. 31, 2005. NSU has lost 10 in a row to CSU in Baltimore dating to 2001-02.
Last MeetingCoppin State guard Genesis Lucas scored the go-ahead points on two free throws with 56 seconds left, and NSU guard
Rae Corbo missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the final buzzer as CSU escaped Echols Hall with a 58-56 win over the Spartans on Jan. 5. Corbo led NSU with 14 points, but shot just 4-of-15 from the floor. NSU shot 29.4 percent as a team.
Jordan Swails led the Lady Eagles with 16 points, Lucas had 12 and Omaah Tayong had 11.
Fast MEAC StartAt 8-4 in the MEAC, the Spartans are positioned for their best MEAC slate in years. Last year's 8-8 MEAC mark was the program's best – and first non-losing MEAC record – since the 2004-05 team went 9-9. NSU's last winning MEAC record came in the 2001-02 MEAC championship season (13-5). The program has reached as many as six MEAC victories just twice since the 2005-06 season (6-10 in 2011-12 and 8-8 in 2013-14). NSU's next win clinches a winning MEAC record for 2014-15.
Lucky Number 7 for RobertsFreshman
Kayla Roberts was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week for the seventh time this year on Monday following her 19-point, nine-rebound effort against Morgan State. No MEAC player has won more Rookie of the Week honors since Howard's Saadia Doyle won it eight times in 2009-10.Â
Roberts has been particularly hot lately. She is averaging 16.3 rebounds per game in her last four outings. She started that span by scoring a career-high 26 points in back-to-back games, vs. Hampton and Howard.Â
Roberts is second among all conference freshmen with 12.1 points per game (11th in MEAC) and first at 9.7 rebounds per game (first in MEAC). She has six double-doubles this season.Â
Finding the RangeThe Spartans hit a season-high 58.3 percent of their 3-point attempts (7-of-12) last Saturday at Morgan State. Though NSU ranks just ninth in the MEAC in 3-pointers made (3.4 per game), they have become more accurate as the season has progressed. NSU has hit at least five 3-pointers and shot at least 38.5 percent from long range in five of their last eight games.Â
Leading scorers
Rae Corbo and
Kayla Roberts have done most of the damage, hitting 71 of NSU's 79 3-pointers this year. Corbo ranks third in the MEAC in 3-point accuracy (37.3) and fifth in 3-pointers made (44, 1.9 per game).
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