By: Sebastian Burke, Sports Information Intern
NORFOLK, Va. – Following a road trip to West Virginia, Norfolk State women's basketball returns home for a Christmas break matchup against Robert Morris at Echols Hall on Wednesday at 11 a.m. This will be the second of three games in a span of five days for the Spartans.
Brunch at Echols
For the third straight year, the Spartans will be playing a day game for their annual Future Leaders/Hampton Roads Youth Day Celebration with Norfolk Public Schools. Dozens of NPS middle school classes are expected to be on hand for this year's game this Wednesday as the Spartans play their final home game of the 2019 calendar year vs. Robert Morris.
Series History vs. RMU
This is just the second time the Spartans have faced the Colonials, and the first time during Coach Vickers' tenure. Robert Morris came away with a 79-69 home win against NSU back in 2005.
A Win over RMU Would...
Snap a one-game losing streak against the Colonials.
Put the Spartans back to three games over .500%.
Scouting The Colonials
The Colonials are coming off a 71-59 loss to Rhode Island on Sunday. Rhode Island jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back against RMU.
The Colonials are led by Nneka Ezeigbo, who leads the team with 14.7 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. Ezeigbo has had four double-doubles so far this season.
Holly Forbes is another frontcourt presence that averages 7.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Colonials.
Nina Augustin is second in scoring for RMU with 8.7 points per game, while leading the team with five assists per game.
Media Coverage
Fans can watch the live stream
here, with Ross Gordon and Woube Gebre on the call. Fans can also follow the live stats
here.
Last Time Out
The Spartans are coming off a tough road test against #22 West Virginia, falling 72-55 to the Mountaineers on Sunday.
The Starting Five
Chanette Hicks had her seventh 20 point game of the season against WVU, finishing with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the floor. Hicks leads the team averaging 21.7 points per game, also leading the MEAC in that category. Hicks also ranks 9th nationally in points per game.
La'Deja James had her sixth double-figure game of the season against the Mountaineers, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. James is averaging 12.4 points per game, which gives the Spartans two of the top 10 scorers in the MEAC.
Blaire Thomas is the third leading scorer with 8.3 points per game, and leads the team with 6.2 rebounds per game.
Armani Franklin has started the last two games, making a difference on both sides of the floor. Franklin has averaged seven points in games she's started, and is second on the team with 2.2 steals per game.
Mikaela Jones rounds out the Spartans' starting five, providing a presence in the post. She leads the team with 1.3 blocks per game, and is second with 5.9 rebounds per game.
NSU By the Numbers
+7.8 - NSU's scoring margin, the average amount of points they outscore their opponents.
13.5 - The number of steals the Spartans average per game. They rank first in the MEAC and ninth nationally in steals per game.
340 - Hicks' career steals, which ranks second in active NCAA players.
2 - Number of players averaging double-figures in scoring.
(Hicks - 21.7 & James -12.4)
21.7- The scoring average of Hicks, which ranks first in the MEAC and 10th in the country.
+8.6 - NSU's turnover margin, which ranks second in the MEAC and 12th in the country.
