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Diamond Johnson Da'Brya Clark Defense
Naje Murray
85
Winner Norfolk St. Norf 8-4,0-0 MEAC
71
High Point HP 4-7,0-0 Big South
Winner
Norfolk St. Norf
8-4,0-0 MEAC
85
Final
71
High Point HP
4-7,0-0 Big South
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Norfolk St. Norf 21 7 20 19 18 85
High Point HP 16 11 19 21 4 71

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Alex Lehmbeck, Assoc. SID

Wheeler’s Dominance, Johnson’s Late-Game Heroics Fuel Spartans to OT Win at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C – Kierra Wheeler put together a historic performance at the Qubein Center on Monday night, leading the Spartans to a thrilling 85-71 overtime win over High Point.
 
Wheeler racked up 33 points and 17 rebounds, both career highs, fueling the Spartans to victory. Diamond Johnson notched the first double-double of her career with 20 points and 11 rebounds, knocking down multiple clutch 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter.
 
Norfolk State trailed 67-58 with under two minutes remaining in regulation, closing the fourth quarter on 9-0 run to force overtime. The Spartans then outscored High Point 18-4 in the extra period.
 
The Spartans jumped out to a 12-3 lead to start the game, capped off by a layup from junior Da'naijah Williams and a 3-pointer from Johnson, both assisted by Wheeler. The Panthers knocked down a series of jumpers to pull within three, but inside scores from Anjanae Richardson and Skye Robinson helped NSU end the first quarter with a 21-16 advantage.
 
High Point scored the first four points of the second period, cutting the deficit to one, eventually taking its first lead of the ball game with under two minutes remaining in the first half. Richardson went to the rack with speed and converted the layup late in the quarter, giving Norfolk State a slim one-point halftime lead.
 
Wheeler, who scored just eight of her 33 points in the first half, began to take control in the third quarter. Back-to-back scores from the Minneapolis, Minn. native put the Spartans ahead by four, adding a putback layup a couple of minutes later.
 
Lauren Bevis, who led the Panthers with 29 points on Monday, knocked down a free throw to tie the game at 36-36. High Point took the lead with a driving layup, extending the advantage to four with a successful 3-pointer. Wheeler made down her first 3-pointer of the night at the right time, thrusting NSU ahead by two going into the fourth quarter.
 
High Point regained the lead with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, but Williams responded with a mid-range jumper to tie things up. The back-and-forth battle continued, both teams draining clutch shots to acquire slim edges in the final period of play.
 
The Panthers finally gained separation late in the quarter, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in a 9-0 run to force Norfolk State to call a timeout with two minutes remaining, trailing 67-58.
 
Johnson got to the free throw line out of the break, making one and missing the other. Richardson hustled after the offensive rebound, putting the second-chance layup in to cut the deficit to six.
 
The clutch performance from Johnson had just begun, draining a shot from behind the arc with under a minute left to bring the Spartans within one possession. After Norfolk State forced a turnover at the other end, Johnson drained another long ball to even the game at 67-67.
 
The shot and ensuing defensive stop forced overtime, and Norfolk State had no plans of giving up the momentum from there. Niya Fields gave the Spartans a four-point cushion with a strong layup, before Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Spartans in the driver's seat.
 
Johnson continued the barrage from behind the arc, knocking down her final 3-pointer of the night a few minutes later. She added a mid-range jumper with under two minutes remaining to put the Spartans ahead by nine, before Wheeler closed out the win with multiple inside scores and successful trips to the free throw line.
 
Checking The Box Score
  • Kierra Wheeler led the Spartans with a historic 33-point, 17-rebound double-double, shooting 11-of-19 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the free throw line
  • Wheeler also added a career-high five assists
  • Diamond Johnson recorded her first career double-double, tallying 20 points and 11 rebounds, knocking down five 3-pointers
  • Niya Fields posted a team-best seven assists
  • Norfolk State outscored High Point 44-12 in the paint
  • The Spartans forced 20 Panther turnovers
  • Norfolk State outscored High Point 18-4 in overtime
  • Monday's game featured five lead changes and 10 ties 
News & Notes
  • Norfolk State improved to 8-4 with the victory
  • High Point dropped to 4-7 with the loss
  • NSU is now 4-3 all-time against High Point
  • Norfolk State's 85 points marked a season-high for the Spartans
  • Kierra Wheeler set career highs in points (33), rebounds (17), and assists (5)
  • Wheeler's 33 points are the most by a Norfolk State women's basketball player since La'Deja James scored 36 at North Carolina Central on Feb. 3, 2020
  • Wheeler's 17 rebounds are the most by a Norfolk State women's basketball player since Mangela Ngandjui tallied 17 against North Carolina A&T State on Jan. 17, 2021
  • Wheeler's 33 points are the second-most by a MEAC women's basketball player this season, and her 17 rebounds are tied for second as well.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Spartans get some time to enjoy this victory, returning to Echols Hall for a Dec. 28 matchup against UNC Wilmington at 4 p.m. It will mark just the second home game of the season for Norfolk State.
 
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
 
 
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