NORFOLK, Va.  – The Norfolk State women's basketball team embarks on its longest road trip this season to face South Carolina State and Savannah State this Saturday and Monday, respectively. When all is said and done, the Spartans will have covered roughly 1,000 miles over the span of five days.
 
NSU (9-5, 2-0 MEAC) kicks off the two-game swing against S.C. State (6-10, 1-3 MEAC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Media Coverage
Saturday's game can be heard live featuring play-by-play commentary by Ross Gordon on Hot 91.1 FM and online at http://hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128.
 
Series History
Saturday marks the 39th contest between the two schools in a series that dates back to 1997-98. The Spartans won the first six meetings with S.C. State and 10 of the first 12, but the Lady Bulldogs enjoyed a run of dominance and took 13 of 19 between 2004-05 and 2015-16.
 
NSU corrected course by winning both games last season, including an 83-68 home contest on Feb. 15. The Spartans shot 47.8 percent from the floor in that game and saw four players score 10 or more points. Kiara Phillips notched a team-high 18 points for NSU while chipping in seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Gabrielle Swinson scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and Kayla Roberts recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards.
 
Bryeasha Blair led all scorers in that game with 29 points but did so on 29 shot attempts. Brittany Drumgoole chipped in 16 points, but no other S.C. State player managed more than seven points. As a team, the Lady Bulldogs shot 31 percent from the floor.
 
The Opening Tip
Mother Nature conspired against the Spartans yet again as Wednesday's game at North Carolina A&T was postponed due to winter weather. This marks the second postponement against N.C. A&T, and the two teams will try yet again on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The game time has yet to be determined.
 
By tipoff time on Saturday, NSU will have been inactive for nearly two weeks, last playing on Jan. 8 at North Carolina Central. Leading by two points, 30-28, at the half Norfolk State out-scored the Eagles 23-11 in the third quarter en route to a 75-60 win in Durham, N.C. The Spartans shot 52.9 percent from the field in the quarter and committed just one turnover while holding the Eagles to 3-of-17 shooting and five giveaways.
 
Roberts scored a game-high 20 points in the win and once again got NSU off on the right foot, scoring 10 of the first 12 points of the game for the Spartans. The 20-point outing is the third this season for Roberts and the 12th of her career. The Miami, Fla. native also chipped in six rebounds, three steals, two assists and blocked a shot.
 
Norfolk State scored the first 10 points of the third quarter as part of a 12-0 run that spanned the intermission. After just four minutes of action in the second half, the Spartans led NCCU 40-28 and never looked back, as the lead never dipped below seven points again. The Spartans led by as many as 20 points, 74-54, with 2:06 left in the game before the Eagles scored six of the last seven points to chip away at the deficit.
 
NSU grabbed a season-high 53 rebounds in the win. Khadedra Croker and Shayla Tanner led the team with seven apiece. In all, five Spartans posted six or more rebounds.
 
The Spartans blocked N.C. Central 10 times for their fifth game this season with double-digit rejections. Croker led all players with six blocks and has led NSU in rejections 10 times.
 
Scouting South Carolina State
The Lady Bulldogs earned their first MEAC win of the year, 54-51, over Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday. S.C. State scored the final three points off the game, all at the free throw line, to break a 51-51 tie in the final minute of the game.
 
The Lady Bulldogs made 32 trips to the line in the game but made only 18 (56.3 percent). For the season, S.C. State ranks fifth in the conference with a 63.5 free throw percentage while ranking dead last in both free throw attempts and makes.
 
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Lady Bulldogs, who last won on Dec. 21 against Johnson & Wales. Since that win, S.C. State dropped games to Charlotte (64-49), Old Dominion (52-35), Bethune-Cookman (68-50), Delaware State (58-44) and Howard (68-58).
 
Blair led S.C. State and shared the game high with 15 points against MDES on 7-of-20 shooting. For the season, Blair ranks in the top-10 in the MEAC in scoring (13.1, ninth), free throw percentage (82.1, third), 3-point field goal percentage (33.8, ninth) and 3-point field goals per game (1.7, 10th).
 
The Lady Bulldogs claim the stoutest scoring defense in the MEAC and allow only 57.4 points per game. However, S.C. State struggles to score the ball themselves and ranks 10th in the conference at 56.3 points per game on 34 percent shooting, which is also 10th in the MEAC.
 
NSU vs. the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Norfolk State enters its 21st season of competition in the MEAC. In those 20+ seasons the Spartans have accrued a 126-210 mark in conference games. NSU has just three seasons with a winning conference record, including a 9-7 result last year. The Spartans have never turned in consecutive winning seasons in the MEAC.
 
NSU is still searching for its first regular-season MEAC title and has just one tournament title to show, having won the 2002 MEAC Tournament.
 
Many MEAC teams are former CIAA rivals of the Spartans, and NSU is 209-258 all-time against teams currently in the MEAC with winning records over Maryland Eastern Shore (25-16), Morgan State (21-15), North Carolina Central (20-7) and South Carolina State (20-18). The Spartans are also 17-17 vs. North Carolina A&T and 6-6 against Savannah State.
 
Head Coach Larry Vickers begins his second full season of MEAC play and is 14-14 in conference action.
 
Going Streaking
Norfolk State enters Saturday on a seven-game winning streak. The Spartans last lost on Dec. 2, 51-46 at East Carolina. Since then, NSU has scored 70 points per game while out-scoring the competition by 13 points per game. Norfolk State is shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from 3-point range during the seven-game surge while holding opponents to 32.4 percent shooting, including 25.5 percent from deep.
 
Roberts is averaging a team-best 16.6 points in the past seven games while making 14 of her 26 attempts from beyond the arc. Alexys Long has been equally deadly from deep, shooting 52.4 percent.
 
The seven-game streak is the longest in the program's Division-I era. The Spartans had multiple winning streaks of five games in the early D-I years but had not won five straight since the 2001-02 team won its last two regular-season contests and went 3-0 in the MEAC Tournament.
 
Through Wednesday's games, the winning streak is the longest among all HBCUs and is tied for the 13th-longest streak in the nation.
 
Those Smothering Spartans
Through 14 games this season, Norfolk State has been one of the most-prolific shot-blocking teams in the nation. NSU averages 7.9 rejections per game, which is second in D-I. The Spartans' 110 total blocks also rank seventh nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in 12 of its 14 games and has lost the block battle only once.
 
NSU rejected VCU 14 times in its season opener. Those 14 blocks are tied for the fourth-most in a single game in Division-I this season. Croker accounted for seven of those blocks, and that mark is tied for the 19th-most by an individual in D-I this year.
 
NSU is tied for third in the MEAC in scoring defense (57.5 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (33.3 percent).
 
On the national level, the Spartans rank fourth in defensive field goal percentage and 37th in scoring defense.
 
Norfolk State set the program's Division-I record for fewest points allowed in a game in its 53-27 win over Campbell on Dec. 18 while limiting the Fighting Camels to 14.6 percent shooting. This season, the Spartans have held 12 of their 14 opponents below their season average in scoring and are 7-5 in those games.
 
The Spartans finish off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is second in the MEAC in total rebounding (41.9) and first in defensive rebounds per contest (28.8). The Spartans are also third in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 68 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.
 
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. NSU blocked nearly six shots per game last season -- 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 (132). Ranks in the top-10 in seven career categories and is top-20 in four other categories.
• Is 12th in all-time (1,202) points and ranks 18th in per-game (11.9) scoring at NSU.
• 2x MEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2017-18 (Nov. 21, Nov. 28). Also 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 63-career double-digit scoring games (13-career 20-point games).
• Has led NSU in scoring 36 times, in rebounds 53 times, in blocks 39 times and in steals 28 times in her career (ties included).
• Is third in the MEAC in per-game scoring (14.4).
• Ranks ninth in the conference in rebounds per game (6.8).
• Is fifth in the conference and 108th in the nation in blocks per game (1.6).
• Fourth in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.2).
• Ranks fifth in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (38.0).
• Is ninth in the conference and 153rd in D-I in steals per game (2.1).
• Ranks 127th among active Division-I players in career points and is 17th in  career rebounding average and 22nd in rebounds in D-I.
• Has the 32nd-most double-doubles among active D-I players.

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 19th-most blocks by a player in D-I this year.
• Recorded a block in 13 of 14 games this season and blocked multiple shots in 12 games.
• Has the fifth-most blocks (48) in a single season in NSU's D-I history. Is tied for ninth for the single-season blocks all-time.
• Earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Dec. 19 and Dec. 26.
• Scored the game-winning bucket with 4.2 seconds remaining against UNCG on Dec. 15, 2017.
• Reached double figures in scoring (10) for the first time vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 25, 2017 and has done so for four times.
• Set career highs with 19 points and three assists at William & Mary.
• Ranks sixth nationally in blocks per game (3.4) and 11th in total blocks (48). Also tops the MEAC rejections per game.
• Owns the eighth-best field goal percentage in the MEAC (43.7)
• Ranks 18th in the conference in total rebounding (5.9). Ranks ninth in defensive rebounds (4.4).

Alexys Long

• Is shooting 47.8 percent from deep this season, the best mark in D-I program history and the second-best mark all-time.
• Ranks second in career 3-point field goal percentage (39.2).
• 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 six games this season.
• Is first in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (47.8) and is ninth in 3-point field goals made per game (1.7).
• Is 29th in scoring in the MEAC (9.5).

Raven Russell

• Broke the 20-point barrier for the first time with 21 points against Towson on Dec. 12, 2017.
• Had seven assists vs. Towson to match the individual season high for NSU.
• 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.
• Grabbed a season-high seven rebounds at William & Mary.
• Has eight games with double-figure points this year.
• Is 18th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (10.9).
• Ranks fourth in the conference with a 47.4 field goal percentage.

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.
• Matched her season high with six rebounds at N.C. Central.
• Scored a season-high 14 points to lead NSU vs. UNCG on while also going 6-of-7 from the field.

Yazmen Hannah

• Redshirted last season for medical reasons.
• Named to the MEAC All-Rookie Team in 2015-16.
• Made season debut vs. Navy.
• Scored a season-high 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting at William & Mary.
• Started first game of the season against High Point and set a season high with seven rebounds.
• Is shooting 7-of-13 in the past four games and 3-of-6 from 3-pt. range.
• Has 20th-highest career 3-point field goal percentage in NSU history (27.6).

Gabrielle Swinson

• Made season debut vs. Towson and scored 18 points while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out six assists.
• Notched a career-high 11 assists at William & Mary.
• Has led NSU in assists six times this season and 16 times in her career (ties included).
• Registered a season-high three steals at Longwood.
• Blocked a career-best two shots vs. Coppin State.

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 seven games this year.
• Scored a season-best 10 points and made her first trey of the year vs. Towson.

De'Janaire Deas

• Set a season high with six points and matched a season high with four rebounds vs. ECU.
• Went a perfect 3-of-3 from the field at ECU, setting a career-high in field goals.
• Set a career high in steals with two vs. UNCG.
• Made a career-best three free throws at N.C. Central.

Shayla Tanner

• Scored a season-high three points in nine minutes at VCU.
• Ranked fifth on the team in blocks (12) last season.
• Grabbed a season-best seven rebounds at N.C. Central.
• Scored a career-best 11 points against Florida A&M in the MEAC Tournament Quarterfinals on March 9, 2017.

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.
• Recorded a season-high two steals at Longwood.

Zairya West

• Started first-career game against VCU.
• Recorded three points and two assists in 21 minutes vs. VCU.
• Scored a season-high six points vs. Coppin State. Also set season-best in field goals made (three). 

What's Next?
Norfolk State heads even further south for a clash with Savannah State on Monday night at 6 p.m.