NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State women's basketball team (0-1) plays its home opener Sunday when Salem University (0-2) comes to Echols Hall for a 4 p.m. tip-off.

Last Time Out
Host UNC Wilmington started quickly, outscoring Norfolk State by 16 in the first quarter en route to a 67-47 win over the Spartans on Wednesday afternoon in the season opener for both teams at Trask Coliseum. NSU, which trailed by 13 at the half, drew within 41-35 on a pair of 3-pointers by Jaiden Morris in the third quarter. But UNCW closed the quarter on a 12-3 run and pulled away.

Jalynn Holmes led NSU with 13 points and seven rebounds, and Shekinah Howard contributed 10 points off the bench.

Scouting Salem
Salem, a Division II program from Salem, West Virginia, fell to 0-2 on the year after a 111-54 loss at Delaware on Wednesday. It was the Tigers' first regular-season game against a Division I opponent in more than 20 years. Salem, which fell to Georgetown (Ky.) in its opener, was led by Faith Williams' 13 points and seven rebounds. Salem finished 8-18 in 2019-20.

What's Gone
NSU lost seven letterwinners from last year's 19-11 team that reached the MEAC tournament quarterfinals before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season. That includes all five starters, including MEAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year Chanette Hicks and All-MEAC second-team pick La'Deja James. In all, NSU lost 85 percent of its scoring, 86 percent of its rebounding, 89 percent of its assists and 81 percent of its minutes played from last year's squad.

What's Back
The Spartans welcome back four players from last year's team. The most experienced is senior guard Armani Franklin, who started 14 times and played in all 30 games last year, averaging 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. She was a MEAC All-Rookie Team selection as a freshman in 2017-18. Other returners included junior G/F Shekinah Howard (3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg), sophomore G Camryn Platt-Morris (2.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and sophomore C Ta'Liyah Edmonds (1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg).

Keep It Up
The Spartans will be looking to build on their upward trajectory under head coach Larry Vickers, who is entering his fifth full season and sixth overall as head coach. The Spartans have posted three straight winning overall records under Vickers, the first time that has happened for the NSU women at the Division I level. NSU has also finished with a winning conference record each of Vickers' four full seasons, which includes a program-best 12-4 record and second-place regular-season finish last season. The 19 wins NSU tallied last year are also its most under Vickers and tied for the second-most for the Spartans at the Division I level.