GREENSBORO, N.C. – Two of the MEAC's top defensive teams made baskets hard to come by on Sunday, but North Carolina A&T's edge on the glass was enough to give the Aggies a 49-32 win over Norfolk State in the weekend series finale between the teams at Corbett Sports Center.

The Aggies (6-1, 4-0 MEAC) outrebounded NSU (1-5, 0-2) 53-36 and held an 18-5 edge in second-chance points en route to a sweep of the teams' two weekend meetings. Jasmen Walton scored a game-high 14 points for the Aggies, who held the Spartans to their fewest points since they scored a school record-low 23 in a loss to Virginia on Dec. 28, 2012.

The loss came despite a huge effort from NSU senior forward Mangela Ngandjui, who pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds and led the Spartans with seven points. Ngandjui also tallied three blocked shots and three steals for NSU, which held the Aggies to 29 shooting. The Spartans, however, connected on just 20 percent of their field goal tries (10-of-50).

Despite their offensive struggles, the Spartans were still in the game well into the fourth quarter. NSU cut its deficit to six points on three occasions in the fourth quarter, the last coming after a layup by E'Lexus Davis that made it a 33-27 game with 6:13 left. But the Spartans, who were again playing with just seven players, made just one field goal and were outscored 16-5 the rest of the way.

Like Saturday's game, the defenses set the tone early. A&T led 9-7 after one quarter and 16-12 at halftime as both teams shot less than 20 percent in the opening half.

A&T scored seven of the first nine points of the third quarter. A Ngandjui 3-pointer cut the Spartans' deficit back to four, 23-19, late in the period. But the Aggies scored the final six points of the quarter, four by Walton, to open up their first double-digit lead of the contest.

A&T had three players in double figures in rebounds, led by Chanin Scott with 12. D'Mya Tucker and Shayla Nelson added 11 apiece.

All seven players for NSU scored. The Spartans notched a season-high eight blocked shots, three by Ngandjui and two by Shine Strickland-Gills.

"Although this weekend did not go as planned, it was just good to play some basketball," said NSU head coach Larry Vickers, whose team went nearly a month between games before Saturday's series opener. "Our team showed tremendous heart and it was obvious how much we love the game. We just need to get back in the gym and back to work after a few breaks due to COVID and Christmas." 

The Spartans are back in action next weekend when they host North Carolina Central on Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.) at Echols Hall.