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NSU Looks to Slow Down Streaking Towson on Tuesday

12/11/2017 12:03:00 PM | By: Matt Wurzburger, Sports Information Intern

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team is tasked with cooling off a red-hot opponent on Tuesday when Towson comes to Echols Hall for a 6 p.m. meeting.

The Tigers (4-4) have won their last three games and four of their last five. During the winning streak, Towson has out-scored its opponents by an average of 18.3 points.

Media Coverage
A live stream featuring play-by-play commentary by Ross Gordon is available through Spartan Showcase Video Streaming. In addition, live stats for Tuesday's contest are available.

Series History
NSU is 0-5 all-time against Towson in a series that dates back to the 2003-04 season. The two teams met last season with Towson pulling out a 61-58 home win on Dec. 29, 2016. The Spartans led by 10 with 7:47 left in the game, but TU out-scored NSU 26-17 in the fourth quarter.

Towson out-shot the Spartans 34.6 to 32.8 percent and made eight more free throws (24-16). Brittany Tarr made 11 of her 12 attempts from the charity stripe and Towson shot 85.7 percent from the line as a team.

Kiara Phillips led the Spartans with 15 points and shot 4-of-9 from deep. Phillips also assisted on four makes and came up with three steals. Kayla Roberts scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

The Opening Tip
Norfolk State (4-4) shot 69.2 percent in the fourth quarter against East Carolina on Dec. 2 as part of a furious comeback bid that fell short, 51-46. The blistering shooting in the game's final 10 minutes could not make up for 8-of-35 (22.9 percent) shooting in the first three quarters as the Spartans set a season low in points scored.

Norfolk State could not dial in from 3-point range and finished the game 0-of-12 from deep. The Spartans last outing without a 3-pointer came against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 20, 2017. The Pirates managed just 2-of-16 from 3-point range, but both makes loomed large in the outcome as it helped ECU fend off the Spartans' fourth-quarter surge.

NSU held a momentary lead in the late stages of the game thanks to a 10-0 run capped by Raven Russell's second-chance bucket. That basket put the Spartans ahead 46-45 with 1:50 remaining, but ECU regained the lead for good only 15 seconds later on a second-chance score of their own. On the whole, Norfolk State out-scored the Pirates 20-13 in the fourth quarter with Russell and Khadedra Croker accounting for 14 of those points.

Croker shared the game-high with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. The redshirt junior also blocked two shots before fouling out in the fourth.

NSU committed 21 turnovers in the game and have topped 20 turnovers in a game four times this year. The Pirates forced 12 steals in the game, led by Alex Frazier's four.

Scouting Towson
The Tigers enter Tuesday on a three-game winning streak and have won four of their last five following an 0-3 start. Towson has scored 90 or more points in two of its last four games (95-64 vs. UMBC and 90-66 vs. St. Joseph's).

Towson beat local rival Loyola (Md.) 76-67 on Saturday. The Tigers out-scored the Greyhounds 43-30 in the second half to erase a 37-33 halftime deficit.

The Tigers made a season-high 27 free throws against Loyola. On the year, TU has made 138 free throws, which ranks 37th nationally. In addition, Towson shoots 73 percent from the charity stripe, a mark that ranks 78th in Division-I. Towson also set a season high with 48 rebounds and has won the battle on the glass in each of its last eight games and holds a plus-six margin on the boards this year.

Towson can match NSU in shot-blocking proficiency, having turned away 6.8 shots per game. Mary Cuevas averages 2.75 blocks per contest while Nukiya Mayo chips in 1.5 per game. Cuevas and Mayo are also the Tigers' top rebounders and free-throw shooters with Cuevas averaging 9.9 rebounds per game. Mayo tops all TU players with a 78.6 percentage from the charity stripe.

NSU vs. the Colonial Athletic Association
Norfolk State is 14-33 all-time against teams currently in the CAA. NSU does not have a winning record against any current CAA team but is 2-2 against Elon. William & Mary has been the Spartans' most-frequent CAA opponent, and NSU trails the Tribe 7-13 in the all-time series.

NSU has one more CAA team on its schedule and plays William & Mary on the road on Dec. 21.

Those Smothering Spartans
Through seven games this season, Norfolk State has been one of the most-prolific shot-blocking teams in the nation. NSU averages 8.9 rejections per game, which is tops in D-I. The Spartans' 62 total blocks also ranks sixth nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in six of its seven games and has not lost the block battle this season.

Two Spartans are averaging at least two blocks per contest, led by Khadedra Croker (3.3). Kayla Roberts averages 2.3 blocks per game, and the pair of teammates rank first and second in the conference.

NSU rejected VCU 14 times in its season opener. Those 14 blocks are tied for the most in a single game in Division-I this season. Croker accounted for seven of those blocks, and that mark is tied for the sixth-most by an individual in D-I this year.

Through seven games this year, NSU is second in the MEAC in scoring defense (57.6 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (34.1 percent).

The Spartans finish off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is third in the MEAC in total rebounding (41 rebounds per game) and second in defensive rebounds per contest (28.1). The Spartans are also fourth in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 65.4 percent of their opponent's misses.

Last season, NSU blocked nearly six shots per game -- a mark that topped the MEAC and ranked sixth in Division I. The Spartans set the DI program record in total blocks (178) and trailed only the 1991-1992 team for the most rejections (211) in team history. Additionally, the Spartans ranked third in the MEAC in scoring defense, allowing only 57.8 points per game. Opponents shot just 33.4 percent from the field against NSU, which ranked third nationally.

Spartan Spotlight
Kayla Roberts

Scored her 1,000th-career point against Florida A&M in the 2017 MEAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
Second all-time in blocked shots (126). Ranks in the top-10 in four career categories and is top-20 in seven other categories.
Ranks 18 in all-time and per-game scoring at NSU.
2x MEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2017-18 (Nov. 21, Nov. 28).
Recorded first double-double of the season (14 points, 11 rebounds) against Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 21, 2017 and has 27 in her career.
Has 56-career double-digit scoring games (11-career 20-point games).
Has led NSU in scoring 31 times, in rebounds 52 times, in blocks 38 times and in steals 25 times.
Tied for 13th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (12.3).
Is tied for ninth in the conference and is 213th nationally in rebounds per game (7.6).
Has the 70th-most blocks in the nation (16) and is second in the conference in blocks per game (2.3).
Ranks third in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (6.3).
Ranks 116th among active Division-I players in career points and is 13th and 14th in career rebounding average and rebounds, respectively, among active D-I players.
Has the 23rd most double-doubles among active D-I players.

Raven Russell

Scored 13 points in her Spartan debut against VCU on Nov. 12, 2017.
Shot 2-for-5 from deep and shared the game high in steals (4) vs. VCU.
Set a career best with six field goals vs. High Point on Nov. 29, 2017
Went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line against St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 25, 2017.
Has five games with double-figure points this year.
Ranks 18th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (11.1).
Ranks sixth in the conference with a 50.8 field goal percentage.
Is ninth in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (40.9)

Khadedra Croker

Blocked seven shots at VCU in season opener on Nov. 12, 2017.
Her seven blocks against VCU are tied for the fifth-most by a Spartan in a single game and are tied for the sixth-most by a player in D-I this year.
Recorded a block in each game this season and blocked multiple shots in six games.
Reached double figures in scoring (10) for the first time vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 25, 2017 and has done so in three-straight games
Ranks fifth nationally in blocks per game (3.3) and 18th in total blocks (23). Also tops the MEAC in total blocks.
Grabs the 18th-most rebounds (5.7) in the MEAC and is 12th in defensive rebounding (4.4).
Has the seventh-highest field goal percentage (47.7) in the conference.

Yazmen Hannah

Redshirted last season for medical reasons.
Named to the MEAC All-Rookie Team in 2015-16.
Is tied for 19th in career 3-point field goal percentage (27.1 percent -- minimum 100 attempts).

Made season debut vs. Navy.
Scored a season-high seven points against Loyola (Md.).
Started first game of the season against High Point and set a season high with seven rebounds.

Alexys Long

Set career bests in points (17), 3-pt. field goals made (5) and attempted (7) against VCU on Nov. 12, 2017.
Had her first 10-rebound game against Bowling Green on Nov. 24, 2017.
Matched a career-high with three assists vs. Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 21, 2017.
Has scored in double-figures in three games this season.
Is tied for fifth in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (44.0) and ninth in 3-point field goals made per game (1.6).
Ranks 12th in the conference in total rebounding (6.9) and 10th in offensive rebounding (2.6).

De'Janaire Deas

Set a season high with six points an matched a season high with four rebounds vs. East Carolina on Dec. 2
Went a perfect 3-for-3 from the field at ECU.

Armani Franklin

Led all bench scorers with 10 points at VCU on Nov. 12, 2017.
Led all players with seven assists and shared the game high in steals (4) vs. VCU.
Started first career game vs. Bowling Green on Nov. 24, 2017.
Made 6-of-8 free throws vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 25, 2017, matching a season-high 10 points.

Shayla Tanner

Scored a season-high three points in nine minutes at VCU on Nov. 12, 2017.
Appeared in six games this season.
Appeared in 30 games last season and started one.
Ranked fifth on the team in blocks (12) last season.

Kendrea Dawkins

Blocked four shots and grabbed four rebounds against VCU.
Scored her first points as a Spartan against Navy.
Grabbed a season-high five rebounds vs. High Point on Nov. 29, 2017. Has four or more rebounds in five games this year.

Alexis Sparkman