NORFOLK, Va. – In a clash of contrasting styles, Norfolk State women's basketball takes its sturdy defense on the road Saturday for a stern test against the high-octane offense of High Point. The game is scheduled to tip at 2 p.m. and will be featured on ESPN+.
 
The Opening Tip
Norfolk State (4-5) made its first nine shots on Wednesday and never looked back, leading wire-to-wire in its 74-42 win over Longwood.
 
Four double-digit scorers highlighted a balanced scoring attack by NSU. Alexys Long parlayed a scorching-hot shooting performance in the first quarter into a game-high 16 points. The senior did not miss a shot in the first period, going 5-of-5 with three treys for 13 points
 
Defensively, NSU hounded Longwood all contest long. The Spartans held the Lancers nearly 30 points below their season average for points, forced 23 turnovers and limited LU to 16.0 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Norfolk State made 12 of its 14 shots (85.7 percent) in the first quarter, jumping out to a 29-11 lead. The Spartans' first nine shot attempts found the bottom of the net, and NSU did not miss until the 3:42 mark of the period. NSU assisted on 10 of its 12 made baskets in the first. For the game, Norfolk State recorded an assist on 20 of its 28 makes – its second game this season with 20-plus assists.
 
Raven Russell powered the Spartans' offense in the third quarter, scoring eight of NSU's 20 points in the frame. The Millbrook, Alabama native made four of her seven shot attempts and grabbed three offensive rebounds. For the game, NSU out-rebounded Longwood 44-30. Russell and Deas shared the game high with nine boards apiece.
 
Russell flirted with a double-double in the victory, logging 13 points and a season-best nine rebounds. Dana Echols (12) and Kendrea Dawkins (12) rounded out the Spartans in double figures. Echols grabbed five rebounds and dished a game-high eight assists.
 
Sizing up High Point
The Panthers enter Saturday with a 4-4 record but are 2-1 in their last three games. HPU started the season 2-0 then lost three-straight road games to Kentucky (71-49), Miami (Ohio) (68-55) and Davidson (71-62). Since then, High Point has picked up victories against Greensboro College (102-50) and UNCG (82-75).
 
The Panthers fell to ACC-member Clemson, 83-64, their last time out on Dec. 5. In that game, HPU allowed the Tigers to shoot 49.2-percent from the field. Lindsey Edwards and Emma Bockrath combined for 36 points against Clemson. The Big South's Preseason Player of the Year, Bockrath is currently averaging 17.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 43.7 percent.
 
Bockrath helps power the most-potent offense in the Big South. Currently, HPU tops the conference in scoring (72.5 points per game), field goal percentage (41.3), assists per game (15.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.98).
 
Defensively, High Point thrives on chaos, forcing 21.5 turnovers per contest. The Panthers record 12.5 steals per game, with both Edwards and Bockrath accounting for 3.0 steals each night.
 
The Spartans and Panthers share three common opponents this season. HPU opened its season with an 80-69 win over North Carolina Central. Bockrath netted a game-high 22 points for the Panthers, who shot 41.8 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range. High Point still has home-and-home series with Campbell and Longwood once Big South Conference play begins.
 
All-Time Series vs. High Point
Saturday marks the fifth game all-time in a back-and-fourth series. Both sides are 2-2 against one another and have alternated wins and losses in each of the first four contests.
 
The series began with a pair of games in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. NSU kicked things off with a 65-59 home win on Jan. 7, 1999 before falling on the road next season, 66-62.
 
Since head coach Larry Vickers' first full season, the Spartans and Panthers have met each year. NSU secured a 63-60 road victory on Nov. 30, 2016 behind a 16-point, 17-rebound double-double by Kayla Roberts.
 
HPU avenged that loss with a 59-56 decision in Echols Hall. The Spartans trailed by 10 at the break and had a chance to send the game into overtime, but NSU could not get a potential game-tying shot off in time.
 
Norfolk State held a hot-shooting High Point team to 28.4-percent from the floor, but the Panthers won the game at the foul line and behind the 3-point arc. HPU shot 40.0 percent from deep and 72.2 percent at the charity stripe, while the Spartans made just one of its 12 attempts from deep (8.3 percent) and shot 34.6 percent at the line. In the first half alone, Norfolk State missed all eight of its free throws.
 
NSU blocked 12 shots in that game, with five coming from Khadedra Croker. Croker narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
NSU vs. the Big South Conference
The Spartans are 65-80 all-time against current members of the Big South Conference. NSU holds winning marks over Campbell (4-1), Gardner-Webb (3-0), Longwood (10-5) and USC Upstate (4-3) and is 2-2 against High Point.
 
Vickers owns a 7-6 mark against current Big South Members and is 1-1 against High Point. The Spartans split their first two games this season against Big South Conference members, falling 57-49 to Campbell before beating Longwood 74-42. The Panthers are the third and final Big South opponents on NSU's schedule this season.
 
Keeping it 100
Croker is on the precipice of a notable achievement in the shot-blocking category. With her next rejection, Croker will have 100 blocks in her NSU career – a feat accomplished by only five other Spartans. Additionally, Croker is three blocks away from matching the tally of her head coach. A defensive savant in his playing days, Vickers ranks sixth on the all-time blocks ledger for the NSU men's program.
 
What's Next?
The Spartans return home for a pair of games next week before breaking for the holidays. NSU hosts St. Augustine's on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before welcoming William & Mary next Friday at 2 p.m. The Spartans wrap up their nonconference slate on Sunday, Dec. 30 at Wake Forest.