NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team won another game in comeback fashion, defeating the Longwood Lancers 49-46 at Echols Hall on Thursday night. It was the third straight win for NSU, and fourth straight in the series versus the Lancers.

Tied at 44-44, Spartans' senior guard Chanette Hicks drained a go-ahead layup with 2:55 remaining in the game to put NSU up 46-44. After trailing for most of the game the Spartans held the lead for the remainder of regulation to hold on for the win. Longwood had a chance with four seconds left to tie the score and send the game to overtime, but the Spartans defense stymied the Lancers during the final possession and throughout the course of the contest in a low-scoring affair. 

It was a slow start for both teams, as they collectively shot 9-of-33 from the field in the first quarter. Longwood held a 10-5 lead after a good free-throw from Dana Rouse at the 3:43 mark, holding the Spartans without a basket for the rest of the quarter. Meanwhile the Lancers went on a 6-0 run to end the first, after a buzzer beating shot by Anne-Hamilton Leroy.

The Spartans started the second quarter with an 8-2 run that pulled the Lancers' lead to 18-13, capped off by a Hicks' fastbreak layup with 6:19 left in the second quarter. The Lancers responded with an 8-4 run to close out the half, taking a 26-17 lead into halftime.

The Spartans came out in the second half looking like a different team, starting the third with an 11-4 run to cut the Lancers' lead to 30-28 following a Hicks' layup with 4:18 left in the quarter. Hicks came up big in the quarter, scoring 11 of her 23 points and jump starting the Spartans' second half rally. The Spartans outscored the Lancers 19-10 in the third quarter to tie the game at 36-36 heading into the fourth and final quarter.

Hicks led NSU with a game-high 23 points, while adding seven rebounds, five assists and six steals. Freshman guard Cam Platt-Morris provided some valuable minutes off the bench, finishing the game a career-high eight points in just 16 minutes played. Platt-Morris also had three of NSU's 14 steals. De'Janaire Deas also contributed off the bench, finishing the contest with eight points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

As a team the Lancers shot more effectively from the floor, going 20-of-58 (34.5%) from the floor. The Spartans went 19-65 (29.2%) from the floor, but made up the difference with 17 points off turnovers and 10 fast break points. NSU's bench also outscored Longwood's 18-2.

Both the men and women's basketball teams will travel to Hampton on Saturday for a doubleheader and bragging rights in the Battle of the Bay. The women's team will tip-off at 4 p.m., followed by a men's tip-off at 6 p.m.