SAVANNAH, Ga. – Lauren Moss paced Savannah State with a game-high 16 points as the Tigers pulled out a 59-53 victory over Norfolk State on Monday night at Tiger Arena.
 
The loss was the first in conference play on the road for the Spartans (12-10, 7-3 MEAC), who dropped to third place in the MEAC standings.

Norfolk State senior guard Dominique Harper tallied 11 of her team-high 15 points in the second half while Jordan Strode finished with 11 points on the night.
 
The Savannah State (9-14, 7-4 MEAC) offense exploded for 19 points in the third period to open up a 40-32 advantage heading into the final frame. The Lady Tigers closed the quarter with an 11-1 run over the final 4:22 of the stanza. Moss registered 11 of her 16 points in the period, outscoring NSU 11-9 on her own in the frame.
 
Despite making just four buckets in the final stanza, all from inside the 3-point line, the Lady Tigers were able to maintain most of their eight-point lead by making 11-of-17 from the free-throw line. Savannah State went to the line 38 times during the game, making 24. NSU attempted just 14, making 10. The Spartans were able to get the deficit to five, when Harper made a layup with 17 seconds remaining.  
 
The game opened up in the Spartans' favor, as they jumped out to a 10-4 lead with three minutes remaining in the opening quarter.  However, the Lady Tigers went on a 12-2 run over the next five minutes and led 16-12, with 7:57 remaining in the opening half after Rhianna Warren sank two free throws.
 
Once again, it looked as if the Spartans were going to take control of the game, closing the frame with an 11-5 spurt to take a 23-21 lead to the locker room. Strode netted four points during the run, while Kiara Phillips drained her only 3-pointer of the night. Harper and Gabrielle Swinson accounted for the other two buckets.
 
The game remained close for the first six minutes of the third, before the Lady Tigers closed the frame with their 11-2 run.
 
Kayla Roberts led the Spartans with six rebounds. Harper had four of the team's 10 assists and Swinson added three. Harper and Phillips notched three steals apiece to lead the team.
 
Norfolk State shot 32.3 percent from the floor (20-of-62), including 25 percent from deep (5-of-20), while the Lady Tigers made 40 percent (16-of-40) of their field-goal attempts, including 33.3 percent (3-of-9) from behind the arc.
 
Kenyata Hendrix and Jeremica Edwards joined Moss in double figures for the Lady Tigers. Hendrix added 13, while Edwards tallied 10. Edwards also recorded a game-high eight rebounds, while Tiyonda Davis swatted away a game-high eight shots. SSU was credited with 13 blocked shots for the night while NSU managed just three.
 
Norfolk State will be home for its next two games. The Spartans will open up the homestand against Maryland Eastern Shore at 4 p.m. Saturday at Echols Hall.