DURHAM, N.C.  – The Norfolk State women's basketball team tests its mettle this Monday when it takes on North Carolina Central at 5:30 p.m. in the Spartans' first MEAC road game.
 
NSU (8-5, 1-0 MEAC) saw its weekend plans altered by the effects of Winter Storm Grayson, as Saturday's regularly-scheduled road contest with North Carolina A&T was rescheduled to Wednesday, January 17 at 5:30 p.m.

Media Coverage
Monday'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. A live stream is available through the NCCU Sports Network, and live stats are also available.
 
Series History
NSU is 19-7 in a series that began in the 1980-81 season when both teams were members of the Division-II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Spartans were 16-2 against the Eagles during the CIAA years and owned an eight-game winning streak before departing for the MEAC in 1997-98.
 
The rivalry was renewed during the 2007-08 season, and since then NCCU is 5-3. Both teams are 2-2 in the past four meetings with Norfolk State taking last season's game 71-40 on Jan. 14 in Echols Hall. Khalilah Ali flirted with a triple-double in that game with 19 points, nine blocks and eight rebounds. As a team, NSU registered 12 blocks and held the Eagles to 21.7 percent shooting, including a 17.6 clip from 3-point range.
 
Norfolk State's offense clicked, as the Spartans made half of their shot attempts while shooting 42.9 percent from deep. In all, four NSU players broke double figures in scoring.
 
The Opening Tip
Norfolk State started MEAC play on the right foot with a 71-57 home win over Coppin State on Wednesday in a game that was closer than the final score indicated. The Spartans led for 36:09 of game time but struggled to gain separation until the early stages of the fourth quarter.
 
Coppin State led 5-3 with 6:51 left in the first quarter, but Kayla Roberts put the Spartans ahead for good with a 3-pointer at the 6:09 mark of the period. Roberts started off hot with 10 points in the first quarter on 4-of-4 shooting and helped NSU to a 17-11 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Genesis Lucas one-upped Roberts in the second quarter by scoring 17 of the Eagles' 19 points. Lucas made seven of her 12 attempts while shooting 2-of-4 from deep and kept CSU within striking distance, 35-30, at the end of the half.
 
Norfolk State scored six of the first seven points in the third quarter to build its second double-digit lead of the night, 41-31, with 7:06 remaining in the period, but Coppin State countered with an 8-0 run to pull to within two points with 3:55 left. The Spartans built a seven-point edge with under 90 seconds remaining in the period, but once again the Eagles chipped away to send the game into the fourth quarter at 52-49.
 
CSU finally ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, turning the ball over six times and shooting 25 percent from the field. The Spartans made eight of their nine free throws in the quarter to close out the game and finished with season highs in free throws made (22) and shooting percentage from the line (81.5)
 
Lucas finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-of-28 shooting. Roberts paced NSU with 18 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks. The Spartans out-rebounded the Eagles 49-30 and held a 17-6 edge in second-chance points.
 
Scouting North Carolina Central
The Eagles (3-11, 1-0 MEAC) authored a 21-point, second-half comeback against Delaware State on Wednesday to start the MEAC season 1-0. N.C. Central trailed the Hornets 48-27 with 7:41 left in the third quarter but out-scored DSU 47-19 for the remainder of the game, including a game-ending 20-8 run.
 
NCCU shot 66.7 percent from the floor and made nine of 11 free throws in the final period to snap an eight-game losing streak. For the game, Delaware State out-shot the Eagles 45.2 to 39.7 percent but made 12 fewer free throws on 15 fewer attempts.
 
Paulina Afriyie registered her fourth double-double in fifth game for the Eagles with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Afriyie shot 7-for-10 from the field while going 8-for-13 from the charity stripe. The 5-11 sophomore forward leads the Eagles in rebounding at seven per game and trails only Rodneysha Martin (12.9) in scoring with 8.3 points per game.
 
Kieche White also chipped in 20 points for NCCU and made five of her 10 attempts from 3-point range. The Eagles shot 38.1 percent from deep in the game, and rank third in the conference in 3-point field goals per game (5.5) and fifth in 3-point percentage (28.5).
 
NCCU ranks in the bottom half of the MEAC in key statistics such as assist-to-turnover ratio (0.45), field goal percentage (34.8), field goal percentage defense (43.8), scoring defense (75.1) and scoring margin (negative-14.7) and were picked to finish last in the conference in head coach Trisha Stafford-Odom's first season at the helm.
 
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 125-210 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 208-258 all-time against teams currently in the MEAC with winning records over Maryland Eastern Shore (25-16), Morgan State (21-15), North Carolina Central (19-7) and South Carolina State (20-18). The Spartans are also 6-6 against Savannah State.
 
Head Coach Larry Vickers begins his second full season of MEAC play and is 13-14 in conference action.
 
Going Streaking
Norfolk State enters Monday on a six-game winning streak. The Spartans last lost on Dec. 2, 51-46 at East Carolina. Since then, NSU has scored nearly 70 points per game while out-scoring the competition by 12.7 points per game. Norfolk State is shooting 42 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from 3-point range during the six-game surge while holding opponents to 33.3 percent shooting, including 25.4 percent from deep.
 
Roberts is averaging a team-best 16 points in the past six games while making half of her 24 attempts from beyond the arc. Alexys Long has been equally deadly from deep, shooting 52.4 percent.
 
The six-game streak is the longest in Vickers' tenure. It is also the longest winning streak 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.
 
Those Smothering Spartans
Through 13 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' 100 total blocks also rank third nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in 11 of its 13 games and has not 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. Khadedra Croker accounted for seven of those blocks, and that mark is tied for the 12th-most by an individual in D-I this year.
 
NSU is second in the MEAC in scoring defense (57.3 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (33.7 percent).
 
Norfolk State 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. This season, the Spartans have held 11 of their 13 opponents below their season average in scoring and are 6-5 in those games.
 
The Spartans finish off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is second in the MEAC in total rebounding (41.1) and defensive rebounds per contest (28.0). The Spartans are also third in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 67.3 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 (131). Ranks in the top-10 in six career categories and is top-20 in seven other categories.
• Is tied for 13th in all-time (1,182) points and ranks 18th in per-game (11.8) 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 62-career double-digit scoring games (12-career 20-point games).
• Has led NSU in scoring 35 times, in rebounds 53 times, in blocks 39 times and in steals 27 times in her career (ties included).
• Is fifth in the MEAC in per-game scoring (14.0).
• Ranks 11th in the conference in rebounds per game (6.8).
• Has the 110th-most blocks in the nation (21) and is third in the conference in blocks per game (1.6).
• Tied for third in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.2).
• Is tied for the eighth-best 3-point field goal percentage in the MEAC (35.4).
• Is 11th in the conference in steals per game (2.0).
• Ranks 118th among active Division-I players in career points and is 16th in both career rebounding average and rebounds in D-I.
• Has the 29th 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 12th-most blocks by a player in D-I this year.
• Recorded a block in 12 of 13 games this season and blocked multiple shots in 11 games.
• Has the sixth-most blocks (42) in a single season in NSU's D-I history. Is tied for 14th 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 seventh nationally in blocks per game (3.2) and 12th in total blocks (42). Also tops the MEAC rejections per game.
• Owns the 11th-best field goal percentage in the MEAC (42.9)
• Ranks 17th in the conference in total rebounding (5.8).

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 tied for eighth in 3-point field goals made per game (1.7).
• Is 28th 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 17th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (11.2).
• Ranks third in the conference with a 49.5 field goal percentage.

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.
• Made her first-career 3-pointer vs. Towson on Dec. 12, 2017.
• 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 on Dec. 15, 2017 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 5-of-7 in the past three games and 3-of-5 from 3-pt. range.
• Shares the 18th-highest career 3-point field goal percentage in NSU history (27.8).

Gabrielle Swinson

• Made season debut vs. Towson on Dec. 12, 2017 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 five times this season and 16 times in her career.
• 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 on Dec. 12, 2017.

De'Janaire Deas

• Set a season high with six points and matched a season high with four rebounds vs. ECU on Dec. 2, 2017.
• 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 on Dec. 15, 2017.

Shayla Tanner

• Scored a season-high three points in nine minutes at VCU on Nov. 12, 2017.
• Ranked fifth on the team in blocks (12) last season.
• 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 on Nov. 29, 2017.
• 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 on Nov. 12, 2017.
• 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 takes a week off before facing North Carolina A&T on Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m. The Spartans then swing south for road games at South Carolina State (Jan. 20) and Savannah State (Jan. 22).