NORFOLK, Va. – Fresh off a record-setting performance on Monday, the Norfolk State women's basketball team travels up the Virginia Peninsula to face William & Mary on Thursday at 2 p.m. in a clash of two streaking teams.
 
Media Coverage
Thursday's game will be broadcast live on 91.1 FM and at http://hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128. Fans may also watch a live stream of the game and follow along via live stats.
 
Series History
NSU is 7-13 all-time against W&M, and the Spartans have lost each of the last 12 games. Norfolk State won the first meeting 70-60 on Feb. 2, 1977 and took the next five as well.
 
William & Mary defeated the Spartans 65-52 at Echols Hall last season. The Tribe out-scored the Spartans 38-14 across the second and third quarters and withstood a fourth-quarter comeback bid by the Spartans.
 
William & Mary out-shot NSU in the game 41 to 35.6 percent and made four more 3-pointers than the Spartans.
 
Kayla Roberts turned in a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Dominique Harper joined Roberts in double figures with 14. The duo combined to go 12-of-28 while the remainder of the team shot 9-of-31 from the field.
 
The Opening Tip
Norfolk State (5-5) authored a historic defensive performance in its 53-27 win over Campbell on Monday. The Spartans set the program's Division-I record for fewest points allowed while limiting the Fighting Camels to 14.6 percent from the field, the lowest mark by an opponent in 16 seasons.
 
The previous D-I era record was 28 points and was set last year against Lincoln (Pa.).
 
Norfolk State led by as many as 33 points late in the fourth quarter before a game-ending 7-0 run by Campbell. The Fighting Camels did not break the 20-point plateau until the 2:30 mark of the fourth period.
 
Roberts was the lone player in double figures and finished the game with 18 points. The senior guard/forward made six of her 15 shot attempts and went 3-of-5 from 3-point range. In her past three games, Roberts is shooting 63.6 percent from deep.
 
Norfolk State blocked eight shots in the win and have recorded at least four rejections in each game this year. Khadedra Croker blocked six shots for her eighth game with multiple blocks.
 
Scouting William & Mary
The Tribe enter Thursday at 9-1 and are on a seven-game win streak. William & Mary's lone loss came against St. John's, 92-81, on Nov. 17.
 
The Tribe rank 49th in the nation in scoring offense at 76.3 points per game and shoot 46.4 percent from the field. Four W&M players average at least 11 points per game, led by Bianca Boggs at 15.4.
 
Defensively, William & Mary yields 65 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting and rank second nationally in total blocks (84) and blocks per game (8.4), and Abby Rendle accounts for 53 of those blocks. Rendle has the most blocks in a single game in Division-I this year, having turned away 10 shots against East Carolina on Nov. 21. The senior also leads the Tribe in rebounding (8.1 per game) and field goal percentage (54.5).
 
W&M is 2-0 against common opponents, defeating East Carolina 71-65 in overtime and besting Loyola (Md.) 70-49. The Tribe also defeated the MEAC's Howard 83-71 in its season opener.
 
NSU vs. the Colonial Athletic Association
Norfolk State is 15-33 all-time against teams currently in the CAA. NSU does not have a winning record against any CAA team but is 2-2 all-time against Elon.
 
Norfolk State defeated Towson 86-76 on Dec. 12. W&M is the final CAA team on NSU's 2017-18 schedule.
 
Those Smothering Spartans
Through 10 games this season, Norfolk State has been one of the most-prolific shot-blocking teams in the nation. NSU averages 8.3 rejections per game, which is third D-I. The Spartans' 83 total blocks also ranks third nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in nine of its 10 games and has not lost the block battle this season.
 
NSU rejected VCU 14 times in its season opener. Those 14 blocks are tied for the second-most in a single game in Division-I this season. Croker accounted for seven of those blocks, and that mark is tied for the eighth-most by an individual in D-I this year.
 
NSU is second in the MEAC in scoring defense (56.9 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (33.0 percent). The Spartans set the program's Division-I record for fewest points allowed in a game in its 53-27 win over Campbell on Monday while limiting the Fighting Camels to 14.6 percent shooting.
 
Norfolk State finishes off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is fourth in the MEAC in total rebounding (40.5 per game) and second in defensive rebounds per contest (28.1). The Spartans are also fifth in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 66 percent of their opponent's misses.
 
Last season, 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. In addition, 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.
 
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 (129). Ranks in the top-10 in four career categories and is top-20 in seven other categories.
• Ranks 16th in all-time (1,129) and is 18th in per-game (11.6) scoring at NSU.
• 2x MEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2017-18 (Nov. 21, Nov. 28).
• Named MEAC Player of the Week on Dec. 19.
• 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 59-career double-digit scoring games (11-career 20-point games).
• Has led NSU in scoring 32 times, in rebounds 53 times, in blocks 39 times and in steals 27 times in her career (ties included).
• Is tied for 12th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (12.3).
• Ranks eighth in the conference in rebounds per game (7.1).
• Has the 68th-most blocks in the nation (19) and is second in the conference in blocks per game (1.9).
• Ranks third in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.8).
• Is tied for the 15th-highest free throw percentage in the conference (58.3).
• Ranks 111th among active Division-I players in career points and is 14th in both career rebounding average and rebounds in D-I.
• Has the 25th most double-doubles among active D-I players.

 
Raven Russell

• Broke the 20-point barrier for the first time with 21 points against Towson.
• Set season highs in field goals made (eight) and attempted (12) vs. Towson.
• Had seven assists vs. Towson to match the individual season high for NSU.
• Scored 13 points in her Spartan debut against VCU.
• Shared the game high in steals (four) vs. VCU.
• Set a career best with six field goals vs. High Point.
• Went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line against St. Francis Brooklyn.
• Has seven games with double-figure points this year.
• Ranks 19th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (11.8).
• Ranks sixth in the conference with a 51.7 field goal percentage.

 
Khadedra Croker

• Blocked seven shots at VCU in season opener.
• Her seven blocks against VCU are tied for the fifth-most by a Spartan in a single game and are tied for the eighth-most by a player in D-I this year.
• Recorded a block in nine of 10 games this season and blocked multiple shots eight times.
• Scored the game-winning basket with 4.2 seconds remaining against UNCG.
• Reached double figures in scoring (10) for the first time vs. St. Francis Brooklyn and has done so in three games.
• Ranks third nationally in blocks per game (3.3) and seventh in total blocks (33). Also tops the MEAC in total blocks.
• Ranks 13th in the MEAC defensive rebounding (4.1).

 
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.
• Had her first 10-rebound game against Bowling Green.
• Matched a career-high with three assists vs. Loyola (Md.).
• Has scored in double-figures in four games this season.
• Is second in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (48.5) and is 10th in 3-point field goals made per game (1.6).
• Ranks 20th in the conference in total rebounding (5.6).

 
De'Janaire Deas

• Set a season high with six points an matched a season high with four rebounds vs. East Carolina.
• Went a perfect 3-for-3 from the field at ECU.
• Set a career high in steals with two vs. UNCG.

 
Armani Franklin

• Led all bench scorers with 10 points at VCU.
• Led all players with seven assists and shared the game high in steals (4) vs. VCU.
• Started first career game vs. Bowling Green.
• Made 6-of-8 free throws vs. St. Francis Brooklyn, matching a season-high 10 points.
• Made her first-career 3-pointer vs. Towson.
• Shared the team high and set a career high with six rebounds vs. Towson.
• Scored a season-high 14 points to lead NSU vs. UNCG while also going 6-of-7 from the field.
• Is tied for 14th in the MEAC in assists per game (2.7)

 
Shayla Tanner

• Scored a season-high three points in nine minutes at VCU.
• Appeared in eight games this season.
• 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 twice. Has four or more rebounds in six games this year.
• Scored a season-best 10 points and made her first trey of the year vs. Towson.

 
Alexis Sparkman

• Made her first-career 3-pointer as a Spartan against VCU.
• Played a season-high 18 minutes vs. High Point.
• Made a 3-point field goal in each of her first three games this season.

 
Zairya West

• Started first-career game against VCU.
• Recorded three points and two assists in 21 minutes vs. VCU.
• Scored a season-high five points vs. UNCG.

 
Gabrielle Swinson

• Made season debut vs. Towson and scored 18 points while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out six assists.
• Averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season.

 
What's Next
Norfolk State is off for nine days before closing out the calendar year and non-conference slate with a 12 p.m. road game against Longwood on Dec. 30.