NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State University women's basketball team (1-5, 0-2 MEAC) plays its first MEAC home games of the season when it welcomes North Carolina Central (2-3, 0-0) to Echols Hall this Saturday and Sunday. Tip-off is 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The games were originally scheduled for Jan. 2-3, but were postponed due to NSU's COVID-19 protocols.

Last Time Out
North Carolina A&T outrebounded NSU 53-36 and held an 18-5 edge in second-chance points en route to a 49-32 win on Sunday and sweep of the teams' two weekend meetings. The Spartans were held to their fewest points since scoring a school record-low 23 in a loss to Virginia on Dec. 28, 2012.

The loss came despite a huge effort from senior forward Mangela Ngandjui, who pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds and led the Spartans with seven points. Ngandjui also tallied three blocks 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).
 
Scouting NCCU
Like NSU, North Carolina Central has endured long stretches without playing games this year. The Eagles have played just one game since Dec. 19, an 87-58 win over North Carolina Wesleyan on Jan. 11. Kiyana Brown had 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Anissa Rivera chipped in 15 points in that victory. Rivera has won one MEAC Player of the Week and three Defensive Player of the Week awards already. She is averaging 16.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. Kieche White, who has played in two games, is averaging 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per outing.
 
More "Mango"
The NSU debut of forward Mangela Ngandjui provided a lift for NSU the last few games. After sitting out the first two games due to injury, Ngandjui scored 10 points in both of her first two games, vs. Liberty and William & Mary. She had 26 rebounds in NSU's two games at N.C. A&T, including a career-high 17 in the second game. She added three blocks (tying a career best) and three steals in that game.
 
Defense Steps Up
Despite a pair of losses at North Carolina A&T, the NSU defense came through with two strong efforts against the first-place Aggies. NSU held A&T to its lowest field-goal percentage of the year in Sunday's loss (28.6%), and the 49 points the Aggies scored were their second-fewest of the year. NSU also forced A&T into a season-high 22 turnovers in Saturday's game.
 
Series/Last Meeting vs. N.C. Central
Norfolk State leads the all-time series with North Carolina Central, 22-7. The Spartans are 4-0 against NCCU under head coach Larry Vickers, including a dramatic 83-75 come-from-behind win in the only meeting last year. In the last meeting, on Feb. 3, 2020 in Durham, NSU trailed by 18 in the first quarter. But senior guard La'Deja James scored a career-high 36 points to lead NSU back to the win, 83-75.

Schedule in Flux
NSU had its Jan. 2-3 conference games against North Carolina Central rescheduled for Jan. 23-24 due to NSU's COVID-19 protocols. Six of the Spartans' first 10 scheduled games were either postponed or canceled due to COVID issues with one of the two teams involved. NSU played just one game between Dec. 2 and Jan. 15, a 55-44 home loss to William & Mary on Dec. 20.