NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State women's basketball begins a trying stretch of playing three of the next four games on the road with a Wednesday evening game at North Carolina A&T at 5:30 p.m.
 
The Aggies (11-7, 6-0 MEAC) are one of two remaining teams with no losses in conference action and sit one game ahead of NSU (12-6, 5-1) in the standings.
 
Media Coverage
Wednesday'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. Live stats are also available.
 
Series History
Wednesday marks the 35th all-time meeting between the two programs in a series that is tied 17-17.
 
The series began in the 1997-98 season with NSU winning the first matchup 57-43 at home. The Spartans won the first three contests and 14 of the first 18, including a six-game winning streak between 1990-00 and 2001-02. The Aggies have since turned the series around, winning 10-straight between 2006-07 and 2010-11 and 13 of the last 16.
 
NSU won last season's showdown 69-53 at home behind the joint efforts of Kayla Roberts and Jordan Strode, who had 21 points apiece. Roberts flirted with a triple-double with 10 rebounds and eight blocks (tied for the third-most in program history), while Strode had three assists and three rebounds.
 
The Spartans blitzed the Aggies from the onset and led 32-20 at the intermission. N.C. A&T attempted to come back in the second half, but NSU successfully kept at least a seven-point cushion between themselves and the Aggies. NSU rallied off a 7-0 run inside the final three minutes of the contest to build its largest lead of the game at 19 points, 67-48.
 
The Opening Tip
Norfolk State rebounded from its first loss in conference play in a big way, defeating Florida A&M, 70-49, at Echols Hall on Monday. The 21-point margin of victory is the second-largest by the Spartans this season.
 
Roberts finished only three points off her career high with 23 points on Monday. The senior guard/forward shot 8-of-13 from the field and shared the game-high with nine rebounds.
 
NSU made seven of their 13 3-pointers (53.8 percent). Alexys Long shot 4-of-5 from deep, while Roberts and Yazmen Hannah went a combined 3-for-3 from long range.
 
Norfolk State made the Lady Rattlers feel uncomfortable early, extending its defense and jumping out to a 10-0 lead. FAMU turned the ball over six times to start the game, and eight of NSU's first 10 points came off giveaways. Florida A&M finished the game with 18 turnovers, which led to 23 points for NSU.
 
The Spartans limited FAMU to 24.5 percent shooting for the game -- their lowest defensive field goal percentage since MEAC play began. The Lady Rattlers managed just 2-of-14 (14.3) in the second quarter.
 
Scouting North Carolina A&T
The Aggies went on a game-ending 11-4 run to shut the door on rival North Carolina Central in a 67-54 home victory on Jan. 27. N.C. A&T led 22-10 after the first quarter, but the Eagles clawed their way back in the game -- eventually taking a 48-47 lead with 6:36 left in the fourth quarter.
 
Down one, the Aggies went on a 9-0 run to regain control of the game, 56-48, with less than five minutes remaining.
 
NCCU turned the ball over four times in the final four minutes to hinder any comeback attempt. For the game, the Eagles turned the ball over 26 times, which led to 25 points for the Aggies. N.C. A&T ranks first in the conference with 24.1 turnovers forced and generate the fourth-most steals (10.2) in the conference.
 
Alexus Lessears posted a 13-point, 16-rebound double-double in the win. Lessears averages 8.9 rebounds per game, which is the second-most in the MEAC and ranks 80th nationally. The Aggies are the top rebounding team in the conference, grabbing 43.3 per game, but are down to 38.2 boards per game in conference action.
C'Coriea Foy enters Wednesday as N.C. A&T's leading scorer at 13.8 per game on 33.8 percent shooting. Foy is one of three Aggies to average over three assists per game.
 
The Aggies finished in a tie for sixth in the MEAC last season and reached the semifinals of the 2017 MEAC Tournament. This preseason, N.C. A&T was picked to finish third in the conference and received five first-place votes.
 
NSU vs. the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Norfolk State enters its 21st season of competition in the MEAC. In those 20-plus seasons the Spartans have accrued a 129-211 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 211-260 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), South Carolina State (21-18) and Savannah State (7-6). The Spartans are also 17-17 vs. North Carolina A&T.
 
Head Coach Larry Vickers begins his second full season of MEAC play and is 17-15 in conference action. Vickers has a winning record against five MEAC opponents and is .500 against three other teams.
 
Those Smothering Spartans
Through 18 games this season, Norfolk State has been one of the most-prolific shot-blocking teams in the nation. NSU averages 7.7 rejections per game, which is second in D-I. The Spartans' 138 total blocks also rank fifth nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in 14 of its 18 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 fifth-most in a single game in Division-I this season. Khadedra Croker accounted for seven of those blocks, and that mark is tied for the 24th-most by an individual in D-I this year.
 
Croker has been an intimidating force in the paint and leads the MEAC while ranking fourth in D-I with 3.6 blocks per game. The redshirt junior has recorded a block in 15 of 16 games this season with multiple rejections in 14 contests.
 
NSU is second in the MEAC in scoring defense (57.6 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (32.9 percent).
 
On the national level, the Spartans rank third in defensive field goal percentage and 38th 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 14 of their 18 opponents below their season average in scoring.
 
NSU has held opponents to single-digit points in a quarter 11 times this season, including a season-high three times against Campbell. Additionally, Spartan opponents have shot less than 20 percent from the field in a quarter on 10 occasions.
 
The Spartans finish off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is second in the MEAC in total rebounding (41.1) and second in defensive rebounds per contest (27.8). The Spartans are also third in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 66.6 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. 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 (135). Ranks in the top-10 in seven career categories and is top-20 in four other categories.
• Is 11th in all-time (1,261) points and ranks 18th in per-game (12.1) 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 two double-doubles this season and has 28 in her career.
• Has 66-career double-digit scoring games (15-career 20-point games).
• Has led NSU in scoring 39 times, in rebounds 55 times, in blocks 39 times and in steals 29 times in her career (ties included).
• Is second in the MEAC in per-game scoring (15.4).
• Ranks ninth in the conference in rebounds per game (7.1).
• Is sixth in the conference and 125th in the nation in blocks per game (1.5).
• Third in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.2).
• Ranks fourth in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (39.4).
• Tied for ninth in the conference and 165th in D-I in steals per game (2.0).
• Ranks 127th among active Division-I players in career points and is 18th in  career rebounding average and 24th in rebounds in D-I.
• Has the 30th-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, are tied for the 24th-most blocks in D-I and are the most blocks by a MEAC player this year.
• Recorded a block in 15 of 16 games this season and blocked multiple shots in 14 games.
• Has the third-most blocks (58) in a single season in NSU's D-I history. Also ranks 18th in career blocks.
• Earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Dec. 19, Dec. 26 and Jan. 30.
• Scored the game-winning bucket 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 for four times.
• Set career highs with 19 points and three assists at William & Mary.
• Ranks fourth nationally in blocks per game (3.6) and fourth in total blocks.
• Owns the eighth-best field goal percentage in the MEAC (42.6)
• Ranks 20th in the conference in total rebounding (5.8). Tied for 12th in defensive rebounds (4.3).

 
Alexys Long

• Is shooting 49.3 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 (41.1).
• Set career bests in points (29) and field goals (eight) while matching career highs in 3-point field goals made (five) at Savannah State.
• Had her first 10-rebound game against Bowling Green.
• Has scored in double-figures in eight games this season.
• Is first in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage and is fifth in 3-point field goals made per game (1.9).
• Is 22nd in scoring in the MEAC (10.4).

 
Raven Russell

• Broke the 20-point barrier for the first time with 21 points against Towson on Dec. 12, 2017.
• Made all 12 of her free throws at S.C. State. Tied for the sixth-most free throws in a single game by a NSU player.
• Notched first double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Savannah State.
• Had a season-high seven assists vs. Towson.
• Scored 13 points in her Spartan debut against VCU. Shot 2-for-5 from deep and shared the game high in steals (4).
• Has 11 games with double-figure points this year.
• Is 17th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (11.1).
• Ranks third in the conference with a 48.0 field goal percentage. Also fourth in the conference in free throw percentage (76.6).
• Currently owns the ninth-highest field goal percentage in NSU's D-I era.

 
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.
• 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 tied for 16th-highest career 3-point field goal percentage in NSU history (28.0).

 
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 -- the most in the MEAC this season.
• Has led NSU in assists eight times this season and 19 times in her career (ties included).
• Registered a season-high four steals vs. Coppin State. Also 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.
• Made first start of the season at South Carolina State.

 
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.
• Grabbed a career-high 10 boards at S.C. State.

 
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 returns home for a Saturday afternoon game with Morgan State at 4 p.m.