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Norfolk State University Athletics

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Camille Downs
Indiana Athletics
42
Norfolk State NSU 2-2
72
Winner Indiana IND 3-0
Norfolk State NSU
2-2
42
Final
72
Indiana IND
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Norfolk State NSU 14 7 15 6 42
Indiana IND 17 22 18 15 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

Spartans Start Strong Before Falling at No. 4 Indiana, 72-42

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Norfolk State hung tough with the No. 4 ranked Indiana women's basketball team in the early going, but the Hoosiers pulled away in the second quarter en route to a 72-42 win over the Spartans on Tuesday evening at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Deja Francis had 12 points and six assists to pace the Spartans (2-2), who trailed by just three in their second game in three days against a ranked Big Ten opponent.

The Spartans showed their touch from deep in the first quarter, hitting four 3-pointers to hang close to Indiana (3-0), which is ranked fourth in this week's AP Top 25 poll. Francis hit the first just 49 seconds into the game as NSU enjoyed its lone lead over the Hoosiers. Tatiana Jones also hit a trey and Camille Downs added two in the period, which ended with NSU trailing just 17-14.

NSU trailed by just one on two occasions early in the second quarter, after buckets by Danaijah Williams and Armani Franklin. Franklin's shot at the 7:23 mark brought NSU within 22-21, but the Hoosiers scored the final 17 points of the quarter to pull away. Mackenzie Holmes scored six points in the run for IU.

Francis (nine) and Franklin (six) scored all 15 points in the third quarter for NSU, which was outscored just 18-15 in the period. But the Spartans hit just 2-of-12 from the floor in the final quarter as Indiana sealed the win.

Downs scored nine points while both Franklin and Williams scored eight points each. Franklin had a team-high five rebounds and also added a pair of steals. Williams also notched a pair of steals, while Mahoganie Williams blocked three shots and also notched two steals.

Holmes and Aleksa Gulbe both scored 22 points for the Hoosiers, who shot 51 percent from the floor. Gulbe also grabbed 12 rebounds.

"Indiana is definitely as good as advertised, but I loved the way our team competed and executed tonight on both ends of the floor," NSU head coach Larry Vickers said. "The missed layups were a different story. Some people may have seen a 30-point loss, but I believe I may have seen the 2021-22 MEAC champs if we grow from this experience."

NSU will have the first chance to do just that this Friday, when the College of Charleston comes to Echols Hall for a 6 p.m. game.
 
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