Norfolk State Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Norfolk State women's basketball will look to get back in the win column after a heartbreaking 58-57 loss to rival Hampton on Saturday at Echols Hall when the Spartans face Coppin State on Monday. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m.
Scouting NSU: Visiting Hampton rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Norfolk State women's basketball team, 58-57 in the Battle of the Bay on Saturday evening at Echols Hall.
Trailing 43-30, Hampton (11-7, 5-0) began to slowly make its way back in the final stanza and grabbed a one-point lead when Ashley Bates made one of two at the free-throw line to give the Lady Pirates a 55-54 advantage with 2:32 left. Hampton extended its lead to four (58-54) with just over 90 seconds left when Bates made two more free throws.
Norfolk State (9-8, 4-1) senior guard
Jordan Strode made two free throws with 1:20 remaining, but
Kayla Roberts committed a lane violation to nullify the second attempts and keep the score 58-55. On the ensuing possession, Roberts stole a pass and drove to the hoop for an uncontested layup to cut the margin to one.
At the other end, Roberts blocked a 3-pointer by Monnazjea Finney-Smith with 15 seconds left to give the Spartans one last chance. Strode failed to convert on a layup, but forward
Khalilah Ali grabbed the offensive board and drew a foul with 2.7 seconds left. But Ali misfired on the two free throws, and Hampton's Kaylah Lupoe grabbed the rebound to seal the win for Hampton.
Roberts registered 16 points and 12 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season while matching her career high with five blocks. Strode dropped in 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and sophomore guard
Alexys Long scored a career-high 10 points.
Scouting Coppin State: Coppin State has opened MEAC play winning three of its first five games after going 0-12 in non-conference play to open the season. However, the Lady Eagles lost 66-58 at Howard on Jan. 16. Coppin State will have had a full week's rest since the Howard loss, before hosting Norfolk State.
Freshman Chance Graham finished with a career-high 14 points, 16 rebounds and four steals against Howard. She went 6-for-11 from the floor and tallied seven offensive rebounds with nine defensive rebounds.
Senior Keena Samuels finished with a team-high 19 points and three steals. She made seven total shots from the floor including a pair of three-pointers.
Red shirt junior Genesis Lucas was the Eagles third double-figure scorer finishing with 12 points and a game-high seven assists. Graduate Tiara Goode tied a season-high with 10 rebounds and scored five points.
All-Time Series vs. Coppin State: Coppin State holds a 27-7 record against Norfolk State all-time and has won 21 of the last 22 matchups. The Lady Eagles defeated the Spartans all three times last season, including a 78-54 decision in the first round of the MEAC tournament on Mar. 7, 2016 at Norfolk Scope.
Amber Griffin scored 19 points to lead four Coppin State players in double figures, and the fourth-seeded Lady Eagles shot 58.5 percent from the floor in a 78-54 win over No. 13 Norfolk State in the first round of the 2016 MEAC tournament at Scope Arena on Mar. 7, 2016.
Phillips scored a team-high 15 points for the Spartans, hitting 5-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-7 from 3-point range.
Kayla Roberts added 13 points and two blocks, and Lawrence had 10 points, five assists and three steals. Long and
Siobhan Beslow scored seven points apiece. Beslow, along with guard
Brehanna Daniels, were playing their final collegiate game for the Spartans.
