NORFOLK, Va. | Camille Downs scored 20 of her team-high 21 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough as the Norfolk State University women's basketball team saw its 17-game home winning streak snapped on Monday afternoon as North Carolina Central picked up a 73-68 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory in overtime at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.
 
Norfolk State (17-5 overall, 5-2 MEAC) trailed by as many as nine points three times during two and a half quarters but used an 18-3 run to take a 43-40 lead heading into the final quarter. The Spartans simply didn't have an answer for Kimeira Burks, who drained seven 3-pointers, and scored a game-high 26 points.
 
NCCU (10-12, 4-3) nearly won the game in regulation, but the Eagles missed four straight free throws with 1.0 seconds and the potential game-winner was blocked, sending the game into overtime.
 
Downs nearly recorded a double-double, scoring 21 points, with nine rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots. Kierra Wheeler posted a double-double of 12 boards and 11 points, with three blocked shots and two steals, while Deja Francis scored eight of her 10 points in the first half. Makoye Diawara also pulled down 12 rebounds.
 
Burks scored 22 of her 26 points in the second half, including shooting 7 for 12 from behind the 3-point arc. In addition, she recorded four steals, three boards and two assists. Jerni Kiaku registered 15 of her 17 points in the first half. On the defensive side, Morgan Callahan pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds, while Tippy Robertson added 10.
 
North Carolina Central got six straight points by Kiaku as the two teams traded buckets through the first four minutes.
 
The Spartans grabbed a four-point lead, 10-6, after jumpers by Downs and Francis, with just over five minutes to play in the opening quarter.
 
Back came the Eagles as NCCU took a slim, 10-11, advantage after a trey by Sydney Avoletta with 3:48 remaining.
 
Norfolk State, which shot 25 percent in the first period, snapped a nearly four-minute scoring drought as Skye Robinson scored on a layup to give the Spartans a 12-11 lead with 1:48 left.
 
However, North Carolina Central scored the final five points as the Eagles took a 15-12 advantage into the second period.
 
The Spartans continued to struggle from the floor shooting as NCCU stretched the lead to 23-14 after a Kiaku layup with 6:26 left.
 
Norfolk State came out of the media timeout and responded with seven straight points, capped by a Francis layup, to close the gap to 23-21 with 3:28 remaining in the half.
 
The Spartans, who shot 23.1 percent in the first half, went the final 3:28 without a bucket from the floor, allowing the Eagles to extend the advantage to 30-23 at the break.
 
North Carolina Central stretched the advantage to 34-25 on a Blessing Okoh layup with just eight minutes left in the third.
 
Norfolk State continued to chip away at the deficit and used an 18-3 run over the next eight minutes to grab a 43-37 lead after a Da'naijah Williams layup with 14 seconds remaining in the period.
 
NCCU got a 3-pointer by Burks to close the gap to 43-40 at the end of the third and drained another trey to begin the final quarter, tying the game at 43.
 
The Eagles took a 48-47 lead on Burks' fourth 3-pointer and pushed the advantage to 40-47 on a Morgan Callahan layup with 5:40 remaining.
 
A Niya Fields triple tied the game at 52 with 3:52 left, but Burks sank her fifth 3-pointer at the other end as the Eagles led 55-52 with 3:37 left.
 
Downs and Wheeler sank foul shots as the Spartans grabbed the slim 56-55 lead with just over two minutes to play, but Kiaku, who hadn't made a shot since the first half, scored on a layup to give NCCU the 57-56 advantage.
 
With the score tied at 57 and under a minute left, North Carolina Central had two looks at the basket before Downs snagged the rebound and went coast-to-coast before scoring on a layup, giving the Spartans a 59-57 lead, with 18.2 seconds remaining.
 
Burks continued her clutch second-half shooting, draining a long 3-pointer with 7.9 seconds left, as the Eagles held grabbed the 60-59 advantage.
 
Downs received the inbounds pass and was fouled by Nia Ford with 3.2 seconds left. Her first attempt hit the back iron, but made the second, tying the game at 60.
 
However, the Spartans lost track of Robertson, who was fouled with 1.0 seconds remaining. After a technical foul was assessed to Francis, Robertson and Kiaku missed four straight shots at the charity stripe, keeping the game tied at 60.
 
The Eagles still had an opportunity to win the game in regulation, but Burks' attempt at the buzzer was blocked, sending the game into overtime.
 
North Carolina Central opened the first two minutes of overtime on a 9-2 run, taking a 68-62 advantage.
 
Norfolk State closed the gap to 71-68 with 31 seconds remaining but could not get any closer as NCCU sealed the game at the free-throw line.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Norfolk State shot 28.4 percent (23-of-81) from the floor and 54.3 percent (19-of-35) from the free-throw line
• Camille Downs registered 21 points, nine rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots
• Kierra Wheeler posted a double-double of 12 boards and 11 points, with three blocked shots and two steals
• Deja Francis scored eight of her 10 points in the first half
• Makoye Diawara also pulled down 12 rebounds.
• The Spartans finished with 36 points in the paint, 23 points off 23 North Carolina Central turnovers, 20 fast break points, 16 bench points and 13 second-chance points
• North Carolina Central went 25-of-70 (35.7) shooting and 15-of-33 (45.5 percent) from the charity stripe
• Kimeira Burks scored 22 of her 26 points in the second half, including shooting 7 for 12 from behind the 3-point arc
• Jerni Kiaku registered 15 of her 17 points in the first half
• Morgan Callahan pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds, while Tippy Robertson added 10.
• The Eagles finished with 30 points in the paint, 18 fast break points, 16 second-chance points, 11 bench points and 10 points off 18 Norfolk State turnovers

UP NEXT
Norfolk State returns to the road for its next game as the Spartans visit Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday. Tip-off against the Hawks is scheduled for 2 p.m. from the Hytche Athletic Center.
 
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