NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State women's basketball sees a stretch of three-straight home games come to a close against Savannah State and South Carolina State this Saturday and Monday, respectively. With only five regular-season games remaining, the Spartans will try to take care of business at home to remain squarely in the hunt for a top-three seed at the upcoming MEAC Tournament.
 
Saturday's contest is scheduled for a 4 p.m. tip, while Monday's game will begin at 5:30 p.m.
 
Media Coverage
The two games 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 streams are available through Spartan Showcase Video Streaming. In addition, live stats are available.
 
Series History
Saturday marks the 14th meeting in a series that began during the 2001-02 season. NSU leads the all-time series 7-6 but is only 2-5 in the last seven games.
 
The Spartans overcame a 15-point first-half deficit to defeat the Lady Tigers 78-58 on the road on Jan. 22. NSU out-scored SSU 29-6 in the fourth quarter to notch its ninth-straight victory.
 
Alexys Long led Norfolk State with a career-high 29 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep, and was a perfect 8-for-8 at the foul line.
 
Kaylee Allen led the Lady Tigers with 24 points but needed 23 shot attempts. As a team, Savannah State shot 30.8 percent from the floor but was just 6-of-31 (19.4) in the second half. The Spartans made 60 percent of their attempts in the second half, including a blistering 10-of-14 in the fourth quarter, as they out-scored the Lady Tigers 49-21 after the intermission.
 
Raven Russell recorded her first double-double of the season against SSU with 10 points and 11 rebounds while also chipping in five steals and four assists. Alexxus Sowell blocked a game-high five shots for the Lady Tigers.
 
NSU and South Carolina State have met on the hardwood 39 times with the Spartans holding a 21-18 edge over the Lady Bulldogs. Norfolk State has won the past three meetings, including a 71-67 road win on Jan. 20.
 
In that game, the Spartans led by 19 early in the second quarter only to withstand a ferocious comeback bid by S.C. State. The Lady Bulldogs went on a 21-5 run between the third and fourth quarters to take a 56-55 lead with 4:48 left in the game.
 
NSU regained control of the game with a late 7-0 run, keyed by the free throw artistry of Russell, who made four straight at the line with 1:45 left on the clock to give the Spartans a 69-61 lead. Russell finished the game a perfect 12-of-12 from the line – the sixth-most free throws in a single game in NSU's history.

The Opening Tip
Norfolk State (14-9, 7-4 MEAC) defended home court with a 72-50 win over Delaware State on Monday. The Spartans led wire to wire in their largest MEAC win of the season.
 
Long led all scorers with 22 points and knocked down four 3-pointers to lead NSU. Monday was the second 20-point outing for the Clinton, Maryland native this season. She also notched a career-best 29 points at Savannah State on Jan. 22.
 
The Spartans shot 41.3 percent from the floor on Monday while holding DSU to 28.4 percent, including 2-of-15 from 3-point range. NaJai Pollard, the conference's preseason player of the year, recorded a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds but did so on 8-of-23 shooting.
 
NSU out-rebounded the Lady Hornets 55-34. The Spartans hit the offensive glass hard in the first quarter, scoring eight second-chance points off six offensive rebounds to get ahead early. Khadedra Croker led all players with a career-high 13 boards. Russell grabbed nine misses for the Spartans -- six coming on the offensive end.
 
The Spartans assisted on 19 of their 26 made field goals in the game. Russell and Kayla Roberts shared the game high with five assists -- a career high for Roberts.
 
Scouting Savannah State
The Lady Tigers (4-19, 1-10) enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak after dropping home games to Morgan State (70-41) and North Carolina A&T (69-44). SSU has lost three-straight games to Division-I competition with its only win in that span coming against NAIA-member Allen (S.C.), 79-41 on Feb. 5.
 
Savannah State shot a combined 24.8 percent from the floor over the past two games, including 20.8 (11-of-53) against Morgan State. This season, the Lady Tigers rank last in the MEAC in field goal percentage, making only 32.1 percent of their shots, and second-to-last in scoring offense (55.1).
 
Allen led SSU in scoring in each of the last two games and ranks third in the MEAC with 16.3 points per contest on 30.1-percent shooting. The junior guard also averages 5.9 boards per game and ranks sixth in the conference with 2.2 steals per game.
 
Sowell is the main presence inside for SSU and ranks fourth in the conference with 8.0 rebounds per game. The freshman from Lancaster, S.C. is second in the MEAC only to Croker in blocked shots, averaging 2.4 per contest.
 
Scouting South Carolina State
The Lady Bulldogs (9-14, 4-7) split their last two home games, defeating Coppin State 67-65 on Feb. 5 before falling to North Carolina A&T 74-54 on Saturday.
 
Bryeasha Blair scored 17 against CSU before following up with an 18-point performance against N.C. A&T. Blair ranks fifth in the conference in scoring at 14.7 per game.
 
SCSU shot below 25-percent from 3-point range in both games but averages 29.6 percent from deep for the season, the fourth-best mark in the MEAC. Kyesha Lewis and Blair both rank in the top 15 in the MEAC in 3-point accuracy, with Lewis shooting 33.6 percent from deep.
 
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 131-214 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 213-263 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).
 
Head Coach Larry Vickers is in his second full season of MEAC play and is 19-18 in conference action. Vickers has a winning record against four MEAC opponents and is .500 against three other teams.
 
Those Smothering Spartans
Through 23 games this season, Norfolk State has been one of the most-prolific shot-blocking teams in the nation. NSU averages 7.3 rejections per game, which is second in D-I. The Spartans' 168 total blocks also rank second nationally. NSU has recorded more blocks than its opponent in 15 of its 23 games and has lost the block battle only twice.
 
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. Croker accounted for seven of those blocks.
 
Croker has been an intimidating force in the paint and leads the MEAC while ranking sixth in D-I with 3.3 blocks per game. The redshirt junior has recorded a block in 20 of 21 games this season with multiple rejections in 18 contests.
 
NSU is second in the MEAC in scoring defense (56.7 points per game) and first in defensive field goal percentage (33.1 percent).
 
On the national level, the Spartans rank third in defensive field goal percentage and 30th 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 19 of their 23 opponents below their season average in scoring.
 
NSU has held opponents to single-digit points in a quarter 13 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 11 occasions.
 
The Spartans finish off possessions with hard work on the glass. NSU is third in the MEAC in total rebounding (41.2) and second in defensive rebounds per contest (28.0). The Spartans are also third in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 67.2 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.
• First all-time in blocked shots (141). Ranks in the top-10 in seven career categories and is top-20 in four other categories.
• Is 10th in all-time (1,316) 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 69-career double-digit scoring games (15-career 20-point games).
• Has led NSU in scoring 40 times, in rebounds 58 times, in blocks 39 times and in steals 33 times in her career (ties included).
• Is seventh in the MEAC in per-game scoring (14.4).
• Ranks 10th in the conference in rebounds per game (7.3).
• Is eighth in the conference and 130th in the nation in blocks per game (1.4).
• Second in the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.6).
• Ranks sixth in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (33.7).
• Is 15th in the conference and is 232nd in D-I in steals per game (1.8).
• Ranks 125th among active Division-I players in career points and is 23rd in rebounds in D-I.
• Has the 38th-most double-doubles among active D-I players.

Khadedra Croker

• Set the D-I era record for most blocks in a single-season against North Carolina A&T and the all-time single-season record at Hampton, has 70 this season.
• Blocked seven shots at VCU in season opener, those are tied for the fifth-most by a Spartan in a single game.
• Recorded a block in 20 of 21 games this season and blocked multiple shots in 18 games.
• Earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Dec. 19, Dec. 26, Jan. 30 and Feb. 13.
• 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.
• Grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds vs. Delaware State.
• Ranks sixth nationally in blocks per game (3.3) and 15th in total blocks.
• Is 20th in the MEAC in total rebound (5.7) and 14th in defensive boards (4.1).

Alexys Long

• Is shooting 48.4 percent from deep this season, the best mark in D-I program history and the second-best mark all-time.
• Leads the nation in 3-point percentage.
• Ranks first in career 3-point field goal percentage (41.8).
• Set career bests in points (29) and field goals (eight) while matching career highs in 3-point field goals made (five) at Savannah State. Has two 20-point games this season.
• Had her first 10-rebound game against Bowling Green.
• Has scored in double-figures in 10 games this season.
• Is first in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage and is fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0). Ranks 182nd national in made 3-pointers.
• Is 16th in scoring in the MEAC (10.9).

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. Also tied for the most made free throws by a MEAC player this season.
• 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 14 games with double-figure points this year.
• Is 19th in the MEAC in per-game scoring (10.8).
• Ranks third in the conference with a 48.4 field goal percentage. Also fifth in the conference in free throw percentage (75.4).
• Owns the seventh-best single-season field goal percentage (48.4) 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.
• Scored a season-high 14 points to lead NSU vs. UNCG on while also going 6-of-7 from the field.
• Grabbed a season-high seven rebounds at Hampton.

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 13 points at Savannah State.
• Started first game of the season against High Point and set a season high with seven rebounds.
• Has the 12th-highest career 3-point field goal percentage in NSU history (29.6).

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 -- 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 eight rebounds against North Carolina A&T. Has four or more rebounds in 11 games this year.
• Made first start of the season at South Carolina State.
• Matched a season-high with 10 points at North Carolina A&T.

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.
• Matched season highs in points (six) and field goals made (three) at Hampton.
• Matched a season best with three assists vs. Delaware State.

What's Next?
Norfolk State takes to the road for one final trip away from Echols Hall. The Spartans play at Maryland Eastern Shore on Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. before closing out the road portion of their schedule at Howard on Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m.