Norfolk, Va. – The MEAC Tournament is in the rearview mirror, and for the first time since 2002, there's still more basketball to be played by the Norfolk State women's basketball team. The Spartans (17-11, 11-3 MEAC) head to Philadelphia, Pa. for a first-round WNIT matchup with Drexel (26-5, 16-2 CAA) on Thursday at 6 p.m.
 
Taking place at Dragon's home, Daskalakis Athletic Center, the game will be broadcast on FloHoops. Free viewing will be provided at Dragons TV for fans without a FloHoops subscription. The game will also be available to listen on 91.1 FM.
 
Thursday's matchup will be the Spartans' first WNIT game in program history, as well as their first-ever meeting with Drexel.
 
Not Done Yet
 
NSU received the MEAC's automatic berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), after falling to Howard in the conference championship on Saturday. It's the first time the Spartans have earned a trip to a national postseason tournament since 2002, and the first time they've gone to the WNIT.
 
Last Time Out
 
Norfolk State's remarkable run in the MEAC Tournament came to an end on Saturday, as the Spartans lost to top-seeded Howard 61-44.
 
NSU trailed nearly the entire game, with the Bison pulling away late in the fourth quarter. The Spartans' tenacious defense kept them in the game for most of the night, despite the team shooting 2-of-24 (8.3 percent) from 3-point land.
 
Makoye Diawara led the green and gold with 11 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, her second straight double-double. Camille Downs and Deja Francis earned spots on the All-Tournament Team for their standout performances across the Spartans' three games.
 
Scouting the Dragons
 
Drexel advanced all the way to the CAA Championship last week, defeating Hofstra and Charleston on its path to the title game. The top-seeded Dragons lost in the final to No. 2 Delaware 63-59, ending their NCAA Tournament hopes a day after the Spartans' ended theirs.
 
5-7 guard Keishana Washington has developed into one of the CAA's premiere scorers, averaging 19.7 points per game this season. She earned conference First Team honors, while Hannah Nihill was selected to the Second Team and All-Defensive Team. Amy Mallon, in her second season with the Dragons, was named CAA Coach of the Year.
 
Tip-Ins
•        Deja Francis took the MEAC by storm this year. She averaged 16.7 points per game in conference play and is shooting 78.8% at the free throw line this season.
•        Niya Fields and Francis have facilitated the Spartans' offensive with 3.1 and 3.0 assists per game, respectively. The pair rank third and fourth in the conference in that category, with the Spartans averaging 10.71 assists per game as a team.
•        Williams, standing at 6-1, has thwarted opponents at the rim all season. Her 2.5 blocks per game lead the MEAC by a wide margin, with South Carolina State's Trinity Klock second at 1.6.
•        With Williams locking down the paint, Downs has controlled the passing lanes. She's averaging a conference-best 3.4 steals per game, ranking fifth in all of Division I.
•        Although the Spartans as a team didn't shoot well during the MEAC tournament, Downs continued to kill opponents from deep. She's shooting a conference best 30.8% from behind the arc.