PRINCESS ANNE, Md. | The Norfolk State University women's basketball team led by as many as nine points in the first half, but survived a second-half rally by Maryland Eastern Shore in sweep in the season series over the Hawks with a 53-51 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory on Saturday afternoon at the Hytche Athletic Center.
 
Norfolk State (18-5 overall, 6-2 MEAC) led 27-18 with just over five minutes to play in the first half, but Maryland Eastern Shore (5-16, 1-6) used an 8-1 run to close the half as the two teams traded the lead in the final two periods.
 
Kierra Wheeler led NSU offense with 13 points, on 6-of-9 shooting, with a team-high eight rebounds and one steal. Crystal White and Camille Downs each recorded eight points, while Mahoganie Williams, Danielle Robinson and Makoye Diawara registered seven points apiece.
 
Zamara Haynes paced UMES with 15 points, including seven from the foul line, with six assists, five boards and a pair of steals.
 
The Spartans raced out to a 9-2 lead, capped by a Makoye Diawara layup with 4:39 left in the opening period, but the Hawks used a 6-0 run after a Haynes bucket to close the gap to 9-8 with just over a minute to play in the first.
 
Downs completed a three-point play with 10 seconds remaining, but Lainey Allen answered at the other end as Norfolk State took a 12-10 advantage into the second period.
 
The Spartans began the second strong, using a 7-1 run to grab a 19-11 advantage, but Maryland Eastern Shore responded with 7-2 run of their own, capped by a Haynes layup, closing the deficit to 21-18 with 6:41 left.
 
Baskets by Wheeler and Danielle Robinson gave NSU a 27-18 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the half.
 
However, the Hawks used an 8-1 run over the final five minutes to close the gap to 28-26 at the half.
 
Norfolk State went cold from the floor in the third quarter as Maryland Eastern Shore tied the game at 30 after a free throw by Lainey Allen.
 
A Crystal White jumper gave NSU a 33-30 lead with 2:34 left, but back came UMES as the Hawks took their first lead, 34-33, after a four-point play by Amiaya Morgan with 1:28 remaining.
 
Diawara's jumper with 37 seconds left gave the Spartans the slim, 35-34, advantage heading into the final quarter.
 
The Spartans got a jumper by Mahoganie Williams and a layup by Danielle Robinson to give NSU a 39-35 lead with 5:50 remaining, but back-to-back buckets by Mya Thomas helped UMES tie the game at 39 with just over five minutes to play.
 
Norfolk State pushed the advantage to 46-41 after a layup by Mahoganie Williams with 2:37 left, but UMES refused to go away quietly as Haynes scored three straight points as the Hawks cut the margin to 46-44 with 1:39 remaining.
 
A three-point play by Ariana Seawell cut the NSU to 48-47 with 58 seconds remaining, but a Wheeler layup at the other end gave the Spartans a 50-47 lead with 28 seconds to play.
 
Haynes was fouled on Maryland Eastern Shore's next offensive possession and sank a pair at the foul line as the Hawks trailed, 50-49, with 20 seconds left.
 
After a timeout, Mahoganie Williams found a wide-open Diawara in the paint for the bucket and foul as she sank the free throw as Norfolk State extended the lead to 53-49 with 14 seconds remaining.
 
Allen sank a short jumper with 2 seconds left, but it wasn't enough as Norfolk State survived with a 53-51 victory.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Norfolk State shot 42.0 percent (21-of-50) from the floor and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the free-throw line
• Kierra Wheeler posted 13 points, on 6-of-9 shooting, with a team-high eight rebounds and one steal
• Crystal White and Camille Downs each recorded eight points
• Mahoganie Williams, Danielle Robinson and Makoye Diawara registered seven points apiece
• The Spartans finished with 32 points in the paint, 17 bench points, 17 points off 20 Maryland Eastern Shore turnovers, 11 fast break points and five second-chance points
• Maryland Eastern Shore went 18-of-64 shooting (28.1 percent) and 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) from the charity stripe
• Zamara Haynes registered 15 points, including seven from the foul line, with six assists, five boards and a pair of steals
• The Hawks finished with 29 bench points, 26 points in the paint, 15 points off 23 Norfolk State turnovers, 12 second-chance points and four fast break points

UP NEXT
Norfolk State returns home for three straight games, starting on Monday against Delaware State. Tip-off against the Hornets for Military Appreciation Night is set for 5:30 p.m. from Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.
 
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