Box Score DOVER, Del. – Mikah Aldridge scored 26 points and host Delaware State used a late third-quarter surge to topple Norfolk State, 64-61 on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Hall.

Brehanna Daniels scored a career-high 16 points to lead the Spartans (2-21, 2-11 MEAC), who dropped their second straight game. NaJai Pollard added 17 points for DSU (8-17, 5-7) before being ejected late in the fourth period.

NSU shook off a sluggish start to take a five-point lead in the third quarter. The Spartans, who trailed by five at the half, outscored DSU 15-6 over the first six minutes of the third period. A jumper by Kiara Phillips gave NSU its first advantage of the game at 37-35, and Kayla Roberts added two free throws less than a minute later to push the edge to 39-35 at the 4:20 mark.

Trailing 41-37, the Hornets closed the period on an 11-1 run and held NSU without a field goal for the final 3:52. Aldridge hit one of her four 3-pointers in the spurt and capped it by assisting on Aliah Stinnett's jumper with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter, helping the Hornets take a 48-42 lead into the fourth.

DSU led by as many as seven points in the final period before NSU made its push. Yazmen Hannah hit one free throw, Roberts sank a pair and Koryn Lawrence scored on a put-back to cut NSU's deficit to 55-53 with 4:31 left. Just more than a minute later, Lawrence and Pollard were both assessed technical fouls, with Pollard being ejected for leaving the bench. NSU had a chance to tie at the foul line, but Phillips split a pair of free throws. Aldridge then hit two technical free throws at the other end to extend DSU's lead to 57-54.

NSU forward Siobhan Beslow scored inside to trim the DSU lead to 57-56 with 2:32 remaining. But the Spartans came up empty on three straight possessions, the first two coming with a chance to tie or take the lead. Beslow and Phillips both had shots blocked on the same NSU possession by DSU's Bri Justice. Aldridge hit two foul shots to stretch the margin to three, then Roberts and Phillips turned the ball over on consecutive possessions and the Hornets sealed it at the charity stripe.

The Spartans had to overcome a slow start just to be in position to win. DSU scored the game's first 10 points, seven by Aldridge, and led by as many as 13 (17-4) in the first quarter.

NSU regained its footing thanks to Daniels, who scored the final seven points of the second quarter to fuel a 7-0 run that trimmed the Spartans' deficit to 29-24 heading into halftime.

NSU shot just 31 percent from the floor (21-of-67) and 25 from 3-poont range (4-of-16) on Saturday. NSU stayed close thanks to an edge on the glass. The Spartans had 22 offensive rebounds leading to 23 second-chance points, outrebounding DSU 41-36 altogether.

The Hornets, meanwhile, shot 42 percent from the floor to overcome their deficit on the boards and 20 turnovers. Aldridge was 8-of-13 from the floor (4-of-9 from 3-point range) and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Pollard was 8-of-13 from the floor and led DSU with eight rebounds.

Daniels was 6-of-12 from the floor and made both of her 3-point tries. She also grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and handed out three assists. Phillips added 12 points, Beslow 10 and five rebounds, and Roberts had nine points and six boards for NSU.

The Spartans play their final three regular-season games at home, beginning with a 6 p.m. matchup Monday against Coppin State at Echols Hall.