Vickers Postgame Interview

NORFOLK, Va. – Visiting Maryland Eastern Shore took full advantage of an out-of-sync Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon, ending the Spartans' unbeaten run to start MEAC play with a 59-43 decision inside Joseph Echols Hall. NSU (11-9, 6-1 MEAC) shot a conference-game worst 29.8 percent from the floor in the loss and committed 25 turnovers – its most in nine games.
 
The Hawks (10-10, 6-1 MEAC) received double-digit scoring efforts from Dominique Walker and Ciani Byrom. Walker scored a game-high 16 points off the bench, and Byrom logged an 11-point, 10-assist double-double.
 
Kendrea Dawkins turned in a team-best nine points along with six rebounds. Saturday's loss marked the first time in nearly three years that the Spartans failed to produce an individual double-figure scoring performance. Norfolk State last did so against Coppin State on Feb. 22, 2016.
 
The Spartans entered the half down 29-14 after shooting 27.3 percent and giving the ball away 15 times in the first 20 minutes.
 
Maryland Eastern Shore capitalized on NSU's first-half miscues. The Hawks netted 18 points off turnovers in in the half, which exceeded the Spartans' total points during that same time. For the game, MDES parlayed NSU's 25 turnovers into 26 points.
 
A quarter-ending 7-0 run gave MDES an 11-7 edge after the first 10 minutes. Five-straight points from Dana Echols put NSU ahead 7-4 with 3:43 to play in the frame, but those proved to be the Spartans' final points in the quarter. Norfolk State missed its final two field goal attempts in the frame and committed three turnovers as the Hawks tallied the final seven points.
 
After splitting the first 10 points in the second, MDES ran away with the quarter. The Hawks closed out the half on a prolonged 13-2 run over the final 7:04 of action.
 
Alexys Long hit on a jumper to make the score 16-12 with 7:23 remaining, but then the Spartans fell quiet for three minutes. During that time, Brooklyn Bailey knocked down a 3-pointer and Walker scored on a jump shot to push MDES ahead 21-12 with less than five minutes to play in the half.
 
Raven Russell laid it in at the 4:21 mark for NSU's final points of the half, and the Hawks closed out the frame on an 8-0 run. Byrom was responsible for half of MDES' points in the run and was 4-for-4 from the foul line in that span.
 
Norfolk State tightened up in the second half, but it would not be enough as the Hawks tacked on another point to the final margin. The Spartans cut their turnovers to 10 in the second half and shot 32-percent from the field but could not slow down MDES defensively.
 
NSU cut the lead to single digits with an 11-4 run spanning 3:08 of the third quarter. Danyael Goodhope scored five points for the Spartans during the run, and NSU received a pair of 3-pointers from Dawkins.
 
The second of Dawkins' treys made the score 35-26 with 6:13 left in the quarter, but the lead would stay in single figures for only a short time. On the next possession, Ra'Jean Martin answered with a 3-pointer of her own, and the Hawks' lead never dropped below 12 points again.
 
Martin's 3-pointer keyed an 11-3 quarter-ending run for MDES, who led 46-29 at the end of the quarter. The Hawks built a 19-point lead, their largest of the game, at 46-27 with 1:38 remaining before Long sank two free throws.
 
Norfolk State looked ready for a comeback in the early stages of the fourth quarter, scoring the first five points to cut the deficit to 46-34, but the Hawks were able to keep NSU at bay throughout the period.
 
NSU tallied seven blocks in the loss for its 10th game with five or more rejections this season. Khadedra Croker turned away four shot attempts, and Long was responsible for the other three blocks.
 
Croker also shared the game high in rebounds (nine) with Bairesha Gill-Miles. As a team, the Spartans outrebounded MDES 40-37.
 
Norfolk State looks to rebound from its first conference loss when it travels to Howard on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tilt.