BALTIMORE | The Norfolk State University women's basketball team, which ran its winning streak to seven games, held Coppin State to just 10 field goals as the Spartans picked up a 49-43 victory in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game on Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Complex.
 
Defense was the key to Saturday's win as Norfolk State (16-3 overall, 4-0 MEAC) forced 25 turnovers and held Coppin State to 22.7 percent shooting (10-of-44). The Eagles (4-14, 1-2) did most of their damage at the free-throw line, shooting 79.2 percent (19-of-24).
 
Camille Downs was the lone Norfolk State player in double figures, posting 10 points, along with four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Makoye Diawara led the defense with nine boards, including eight off the defensive glass.
 
Jewel Watkins paced Coppin State with 15 points, including going 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, along with nine rebounds and one assist. Mossi Staples chipped in 10 points, five boards, two assists and a pair of steals.
 
It was a slow start for the Spartans, who trailed 4-3 at the first quarter media timeout and fell behind 7-3 after a 3-pointer by Staples with 3:38 left in the period.
 
Norfolk State, which shot 25.9 percent (7-of-27) from the floor in the opening half, responded from the sluggish start with an 8-0 run over the final 2:34 of the quarter, taking a 10-7 advantage into the second.
 
The run stretched to 11-0 early in the second as Crystal White splashed a triple, extending the margin to 13-7 with 9:45 remaining in the half.
 
Coppin State closed the gap to 15-12 on free throws by Watkins and Staples, but NSU got buckets Niya Fields and Danielle Robinson, pushing the margin to 19-12 with 2:28 left.
 
The Eagles, who went 4-for-17 shooting (23.5 percent), closed the half strong, getting buckets by Nadjy Amira and Hope Evans as Coppin State cut the margin to 19-16 at the break.
 
Norfolk State opened the third period strong and held CSU to without a field goal for the first two-plus minutes as the Spartans built a 26-18 advantage after a Diawara layup with 7:53 left in the quarter.
 
NSU stretched the lead to 30-21 after a layup by Fields and a pair of free throws by Downs with 6:24 remaining.
 
The Eagles kept the game close as Courtney Gardner and Staples sank four straight foul shots as Coppin State closed the margin to 30-25.
 
The charity stripe provided five more points for Coppin State as the Eagles continued to chip away at the deficit, cutting the margin to 33-30 with 2:54 left.
 
A Staples jumper with 1:50 trimmed the margin to just one point, 33-32, and ended a nearly six-minute field goal drought.
 
However, a Fields jumper with 43 seconds left sent the Spartans into the final quarter with a 35-32 lead.
 
Watkins opened the fourth with a triple, tying the game at 35 with 9:38 remaining.
 
The Spartans responded with a 7-3 run over the next four minutes, taking a 43-38 advantage with 5:26 left.
 
Back-to-back buckets by Mahoganie Williams pushed the lead to 47-40 with just over two minutes to play as Coppin State could not rally down the stretch.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Norfolk State shot 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the field and 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from the free-throw line
• Camille Downs posted 10 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists
• Makoye Diawara led the defense with nine boards, including eight off the defensive glass
• The Spartans finished with 20 points in the paint, 18 points off 25 Coppin State turnovers, 10 bench points, eight fast break points and two second-chance points
• Coppin State went 10-of-44 shooting (22.7 percent) and 19-of-24 (79.2 percent) from the charity stripe
• Jewel Watkins registered 15 points, nine rebounds and one assist
• Mossi Staples chipped in 10 points, five boards, two assists and a pair of steals
• The Eagles finished with 12 bench points, eight points in the paint, six fast break points, five points off 16 Norfolk State turnovers and five second-chance points

UP NEXT
Norfolk State wraps up its two-game Baltimore road swing on Monday as the Spartans visit Morgan State. Tip-off against the Bears is set for 4 p.m. from Hill Field House.
 
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