Postgame Interview: Head Coach Larry Vickers

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team trailed by 10 points at halftime before a furious second-half comeback saw the Spartans (2-4) push visiting High Point to the final buzzer in Wednesday night's 59-56 loss.

Wednesday marked the second-straight game in which Norfolk State faced a 10-point halftime deficit. In the previous game, NSU overtook St. Francis Brooklyn on a pair of last-second free throws by Kayla Roberts. The Spartans would not be so fortunate against the Panthers (4-2) as Raven Russell could not get off the potential game-tying shot in time.

Norfolk State's defense limited High Point to just 28.4 percent shooting for the night. The Panthers entered the contest shooting 44.2 percent from the floor.
 
However, HPU held decisive advantages in 3-pointers and free throws.

High Point made eight of its 20 attempts from deep tonight, while the Spartans managed only one trey on 12 attempts. Likewise, the Panthers excelled at the charity stripe (13-of-18), while NSU struggled (9-of-26).

For the third game this season, Roberts led the Spartans in scoring with 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting. The senior guard/forward chipped in six rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocks. Khadedra Croker flirted with the first double-double of her NSU career – posting 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
Emma Bockrath led all scorers with 14 points and shot 3-of-5 from deep. A pair of Panthers shared the team high with seven rebounds apiece.
 
Norfolk State committed a season-low 16 turnovers against High Point, which accounted for 15 points for the Panthers.

The Spartans posted double-figures in blocks for the fourth time this season. The 12 rejections on Wednesday are the second-most by NSU this season. Norfolk State entered the game averaging 9.2 blocks per game – a mark that is tops in the nation.

Croker accounted for five of the Spartans' blocks and has recorded multiple blocks in five of six games this year. The 6-3 redshirt junior is the most prolific shot blocker in the MEAC.
 
Norfolk State trailed 18-17 after the first period despite shooting 47.1 percent from the floor. Roberts and Croker both started fast for the Spartans, accounting for eight points in the first quarter on 4-of-6 shooting.
 
High Point shot only 38.5 percent in the first period but made a pair of treys and went 6-of-7 on free throws.
 
Norfolk State scored only eight points in the second quarter as High Point pulled away to a 35-25 lead at the break. The Spartans went 0-of-8 from the free-throw line in the second quarter and did not make a free throw for the entire first half.
 
High Point's lead fluctuated between one and three points for the first three minutes of the period before the Panthers went on an 8-0 run to build a nine-point advantage.

Alexys Long pulled NSU to within a point with her jumper at the 7:03 mark, but Shea Morgan answered with a three-point play with 6:44 left in the quarter. That and-one started the 8-0 run for the Panthers.

Kat Harris made one free throw to put High Point up 30-21 with three minutes left on the clock, but De'Janaire Deas countered with a layup nine seconds later to break an extended scoreless streak for the Spartans. Deas accounted for Norfolk State's final four points in the quarter, including the jumper that made the score 35-25.
 
The two teams tied the third quarter, and NSU entered the final 10 minutes of action trailing 49-39.
 
High Point's lead ballooned to 14 points following a Bockrath layup at the 6:48 mark, and the Panthers still led by 14 with 3:59 remaining. However, the Spartans would not allow HPU to pull away and ended the period by scoring seven of the final nine points to remain within striking distance.

Norfolk State made its first free throw of the night in the third quarter at the 9:14 mark and shot 4-of-6 from the charity stripe in the period.
 
The Spartans narrowed the gap to a single point on two occasions in the fourth quarter but could never reclaim the lead.

Camryn Brown made a 3-pointer with 5:15 on the clock to put High Point ahead 54-47, but Norfolk State scored the next six points to make the score 54-53 with 2:08 left in the game.

Roberts and Yazmen Hannah both split a pair of free throws during the run, and Long made a layup. Croker brought the Spartans to within one with her layup at the 2:08 mark. Norfolk State held a 10-2 edge in points in the paint in the fourth quarter and out-scored the Panthers 32-14 in paint points for the game.

Harris made it a two-possession game with her trey at the 1:13 mark. After Hannah went 1-of-2 at the line, Harris turned the ball over, and Russell cut the lead to a point with a layup on the ensuing possession.

With only 25 seconds remaining, Norfolk State was forced to play the foul game, and Harris made both free throws with 11 seconds left to give the Panthers a 59-56 lead.

Alexis Sparkman missed the potential game-tying basket on the next possession, but the Spartans forced HPU into a turnover to regain the ball in the final second of the game.

With the game in the balance, Russell received the inbounds pass but could not get a shot off in time.

Russell finished the game with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting after battling foul trouble in the first half. Eight of her points came after halftime.

Norfolk State returns to the road on Saturday for a 2 p.m. matchup with East Carolina.