NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State came into the 2022 rendition of the Battle of the Bay rivalry seeking revenge, coming up just short last year against Hampton. The Spartans got that vengeance in commanding fashion on Thursday, defeating the Pirates 65-56 without trailing for a single second.
 
Camille Downs led the way with 21 points, her highest output of the season, adding five steals and four rebounds. Deja Francis followed closely behind with 16 points and five assists, her seventh game of the season scoring in double-figures.
 
Niya Fields continued to facilitate the offense with three assists, but also tied her season-high of 11 points on Thursday evening. She finished the night 5-of-9 from the floor, including a 3-pointer in the third quarter.
 
While Hampton cut the deficit down to single digits in the final stretch of the game, Norfolk State had total control on the scoreboard for almost the entire night. Downs drill a pull-up 3-pointer on the opening possession, before converting an and-one on the fast break a few minutes later to set the tone early.
 
The Spartans took a 17-8 lead into the second quarter, which the Spartans continued to expand thanks to multiple layups by Fields. Francis knocked down four free throws in the final minute and some change, giving NSU a 35-24 advantage at the half.
 
Fields and Downs both drained deep shots in the third quarter to push NSU ahead by 17, but the Pirates responded with a 7-0 run, keeping the Spartans from pulling away completely. Francis converted an and-one opportunity of her own, before Downs hit her third and final 3-pointer of the night, helping NSU end the third quarter with a 14-point lead.
 
Mahoganie Williams scored in the paint and Downs sank a mid-range pull up to give NSU an 18-point cushion in the fourth quarter, its largest of the night. With the Pirates needing a dramatic push, they strung together a 10-0 run to cut the lead to single digits with under three minutes to play.
 
But the Spartans wouldn't let Hampton come any closer than that. Kierra Wheeler and Makoye Diawara made back-to-back layups in the final 90 seconds, clinching the Spartans' first win over their rival since Dec. 7, 2019.
 
The victory extended Norfolk State's winning streak to seven games heading into Saturday's matchup against NJIT at Echols Hall. The Spartans and Highlanders will tip-off at 1 p.m., with HBCU Go broadcasting the game.