NORFOLK, Va. – Starting the season with two quality road wins, Norfolk State women's basketball will have the chance to add multiple more in a short period of time this week. The Spartans head to Savannah, Ga. for the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic, a three-day multi-team event.
 
NSU (3-1) will play three games in Savannah, starting Monday at 4:30 p.m. against Purdue Fort Wayne. The Spartans face UT Martin on Tuesday at 7 p.m., before closing out the event against Marshall at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
 
All three matchups will be available to stream here.
 
Last Time Out
 
Norfolk State overcame a nine-point halftime deficit on Thursday, defeating App State 70-65 on the road. The Spartans outscored the Mountaineers 14-4 in the third quarter, fueling the comeback victory.
 
Deja Francis led the Spartans with 18 points, while Kierra Wheeler's 12 points and 10 rebounds secured her third double-double of the season. Makoye Diawara added 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
Francis scored two clutch buckets in the final minutes to help push NSU ahead, before Diawara and Niya Fields knocked down their respective free throws to put the game away.
 
Scouting the Competition
 
Purdue Fort Wayne, like NSU, has won three of its first four games of the season, including victories over Bellarmine and Chicago State. Junior guard Amellia Bromenschenkel will provide a tough test for the Spartans' defensively, averaging 20.0 points per game so far.
 
UT Martin (1-2) nearly pulled off the upset at Missouri on Thursday, falling 60-55 after holding a one-point lead at halftime. Freshman Kenley McCarn has gotten off to quite the collegiate start, averaging 21.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game through three contests.
 
Marshall (1-1) dropped a road contest at Purdue, before blowing out West Virginia Wesleyan at home. Roshala Scott leads the Thundering Herd with 15.0 points per game, scoring 20 against the Boilermakers.
 
Wheeler, Downs Earn MEAC Weekly Honors
 
Two NSU players earned weekly conference accolades on Tuesday afternoon for their dominant starts to the season. Wheeler was named MEAC Co-Player of the Week, while Camille Downs took MEAC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Wheeler dominated inside the paint across Norfolk State's three games, averaging 11.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per contest. She recorded 14 points and 15 boards in the Spartans' blowout win at College of Charleston.
 
Downs, the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, upheld her reputation with 16 rebounds and 12 steals across the week, averaging 5.3 boards and 4.0 steals per contest. The graduate guard swiped six steals at Penn State, after tallying four in the season-opening win over VUL.