Box Score HAMPTON, Va. – Malia Tate-DeFreitas scored 24 points and Mikayla Sayle added 15 to help Hampton hold off Norfolk State 73-62 in the Battle of the Bay on Saturday afternoon at the HU Convocation Center.
Dominique Harper scored a career-high 17 points and
Siobhan Beslow had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for NSU, which dropped to 0-19, 0-9. The first-place Lady Pirates improved to 9-12 overall, 7-1 in the MEAC.
As has been the case for the Spartans on several occasions this year, NSU couldn't overcome an opponent's big run in the middle quarters. This time, the dry spell came in the second quarter. The Spartans trailed 21-16 after one period and cut their deficit to three (21-18) on a jumper by Beslow 19 seconds into the second quarter. But NSU went nearly six minutes without another point, when
Brehanna Daniels hit a jumper at the 3:43 mark of the period. Hampton went on an 11-0 run in between Spartan field goals to stretch their lead into double figures.
Daniels' basket also proved to be NSU's last points of the half as the Lady Pirates scored the final seven points before halftime. All told, Hampton outscored NSU 18-4 in the second quarter and led 39-20 at the intermission.
As they have several times in recent games, NSU staged a spirited fourth-quarter rally thanks to its pressure defense. NSU forced six Hampton turnovers in the final quarter and got a huge final period from Harper, who scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the stanza. She scored eight straight NSU points at one stage, hitting a layup, a 3-pointer and a traditional three-point play to cut Hampton's lead all the way down to seven, 68-61, with 1:25 remaining.
It proved to be a little too late, however. Tate-DeFreitas hit two free throws at the other end, and after a Spartan turnover, Tate-DeFreitas hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 73-61 with 39 seconds left.
K'lynn Willis added 14 points and four steals for Hampton. Sayle had nine rebounds and Tate-DeFreitas had six.
Harper hit 6-of-11 from the floor and added two steals. Beslow had her 10th double-double of the season and her fourth in a row while adding three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Kayla Roberts added nine rebounds for NSU.
The Spartans are on the road for their next two games, starting with a matchup next Saturday at Howard.
