NORFOLK, VA --- Norfolk State returned home and picked up its fifth win of the season 71-65 over Radford Wednesday evening.
 
Graduate guard Diamond Johnson led the Spartans in scoring, tallying 20 points on a 6-of-13 shooting night. Kierra Wheeler added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Makoye Diawara also scored double figures with 10 points.
 
Junior guard Da'naijah Williams free throws and a 3-pointer from Diawara helped get the Spartans out to a quick 5-0 lead. The Highlanders went on an 11-2 run following the quick start from NSU. The Spartans pulled within one point with a pull-up jumper, but a 3-pointer from Joi Williams put the Highlanders up three at the end of the first quarter.
 
Radford continued to extend its lead, going on a 9-3 run through the beginning of the second quarter, leading to a media timeout with 4:58 remaining. Johnson ended the RU run following the timeout with a pair of free throws. The Highlanders answered right back with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
 
NSU trimmed the Highlanders' lead down to six with 2:11 to play in the half with Da'Brya Clark finding Diawara for a layup right under the basket. Clark found Diawara for a second time, draining a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left before Johnson brought NSU within two at 31-29 seconds before halftime.

NSU opened the second half on an 8-0 run with five points from Wheeler and three from Johnson, giving the Spartans their first lead since the first quarter. Radford stopped the Norfolk State run with a pair of free throws and regained the lead with just 4:45 to play in the third.
 
Johnson found Diawara, putting the Spartans back on top with a layup just before the media timeout in the third at 41-40. NSU and RU traded baskets before the end of the quarter, with Taylor Napper nailing a last-second jumper before the end of the quarter, putting the Highlanders on top by one.
 
Redshirt senior forward Skye Robinson gave Norfolk State its first lead of the fourth quarter on a layup from the right side at 53-52. Johnson picked up a crucial steal with 4:01 remaining and found Wheeler underneath the hoop, expanding the Spartans' lead to five.
 
NSU built its largest lead of the game at seven following a Niya Fields layup, forcing a RU timeout with just 2:36 left to play. Radford hit four of five free throws on back-to-back possessions, trimming the lead to just three. Johnson used two free throws, a steal, and a layup to help the Spartans close the game out, extending their home winning streak to 16 games.  
 
Checking the Box Score

• Diamond Johnson led Norfolk State in scoring with 20 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the floor
• Kierra Wheeler added 17 points and a team-best seven rebounds
• Kierra Wheeler (7-of-7) and Diamond Johnson (8-of-8) were both perfect from the free throw line
• Norfolk State shot a season-best 95.2% from the free throw line (20-of-21)
• Wednesday's game featured 12 lead changes
• Radford spent 20 minutes, 42 seconds with the lead, while NSU led for 17 minutes, 27 seconds

 
 
News & Notes

• Norfolk State improved to 5-1 with the win
• Radford dropped to 1-5 with the loss
• The Highlanders still lead the all-time series 9-6 over the Spartans
• Norfolk State's home winning streak extends to 16 games
• Kierra Wheeler (7) and Diamond Johnson (8) both posted career highs in free throws made

 
Up Next
Norfolk State will travel to Wilmington, North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 23rd to take on UNC Wilmington at 2 p.m.
 
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