NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State women's basketball team concluded nonconference play in terrific fashion, cruising past Mary Washington 99-43 on Monday evening at Echols Hall.
 
Diamond Johnson led the Spartans (13-5) with 29 points in the blowout victory, shooting 12-of-18 from the floor and knocking down three 3-pointers. Kierra Wheeler stuffed the stat sheet on both sides of the floor, finishing the night with 20 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals and six blocks.
 
Wheeler's seven steals and six blocks marked career highs for the Minneapolis, Minn. native. She became the first player in program history to record seven steals and six blocks in the same game.
 
Niya Fields and Da'naijah Williams also scored in double-figures, tallying 11 and 10 points, respectively. All nine Spartans who saw the floor on Monday got on the scoreboard, highlighted by 29 points from Norfolk State's bench.
 
Mary Washington led just once, scoring the first two points of the night. Inside baskets by Wheeler and Johnson flipped the lead back to NSU, and the Spartans never looked back.
 
Fields knocked down Norfolk State's first 3-pointer of the evening, before Da'naijah Williams added another in the final minute of the first quarter. NSU finished the game 8-of-21 from behind the arc (38.1 percent).
 
Nothing could stop the Spartans in the second quarter, as the team got to the rim at will and converted on flashy jump shots with ease. Norfolk State scored the first 29 points of the period, capped off by Anjanae Richardson's crafty finish from Johnson's precise pass.
 
While NSU piled on the points, Wheeler led a suffocating defensive unit. The junior forward recorded three blocks and one steal in the second period, stifling the Eagles at every turn.
 
The Spartans kept their foot on the gas in the third quarter, as Fields knocked down another 3-pointer to expand the NSU advantage to 38 points. Crystal White sank a deep shot on the fastbreak, hitting another jumper just a few minutes later.
 
Johnson got the fourth quarter started with a 3-pointer, this time from Richardson's assist. The Spartans leaned on their bench to close out the evening, as Paris Mullins gave the crowd one more highlight with an and-one spinning layup in the game's final minute.
 
Checking The Box Score

• Diamond Johnson led the Spartans (13-5) with 29 points, shooting 12-of-18 from the floor and knocking down three 3-pointers
• Kierra finished the night with 20 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals and six blocks.
• Niya Fields and Da'naijah Williams also scored in double-figures, tallying 11 and 10 points, respectively.
• The Spartans went on a 34-0 scoring run from late in the first quarter to the final two minutes of the second quarter
• Norfolk State shot 8-of-21 behind the arc (38.1 percent)
• NSU outscored Mary Washington 40-20 in the paint
• The Spartans amassed 41 points off turnovers, holding Mary Washington to just three
• Mary Washington committed 32 turnovers, tying the most Norfolk State has forced this season

 
News & Notes

• Norfolk State improved to 13-5 with the victory
• Mary Washington dropped to 10-6 with the loss
• Monday marked the first-ever meeting between the Norfolk State and Mary Washington women's basketball programs
• Monday's game marked Norfolk State's last nonconference matchup of the 2023-24 regular season
• Kierra Wheeler became the first player in program history to record seven steals and six blocks in the same game

 
UP NEXT
 
With its nonconference slate complete, Norfolk State returns to action on Saturday at 2 p.m., facing Coppin State in Echols Hall. The matchup will air on Spartan Showcase and WNSB 91.1 FM.
 
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