WILMINGTON, N.C. --- Four Norfolk State women's basketball players scored in double-figures on its way to a 71-52 victory at UNCW Saturday afternoon.
 
Diamond Johnson led all scorers with 20 points, six steals, and five assists, while Da'Brya Clark added a career-high 19 points.
 
Kierra Wheeler (16), and Makoye Diawara (11) both scored in double-figures, helping Norfolk State extend its winning streak over UNCW to four straight.
 
The Spartans took control of the game early, going on a 17-0 run that included eight points from Johnson, five from Clark, and four from Wheeler. Niya Fields picked up a steal late in the quarter, leading to a Clark layup, putting NSU up 23-7 after one quarter.
 
Johnson continued to pile it on for the Spartans, building the lead to 20 points on a jumper from inside the paint. Back-to-back 3-pointers from the Seahawks trimmed the Spartans' margin down to 14 with 7:04 left in the half.
 
Ciara Bailey scored her first career Norfolk State points with 2:56 left in the half to extend the gap back to 20 points. Wheeler grabbed an offensive rebound and the putback with just 15 seconds left in the half, securing a 39-19 advantage into the half.  
 
UNCW came out of the locker room with a pair of 3-pointers from Ali Zelaya and Taylor Henderson, cutting into the NSU advantage. The Seahawks got as close as 15 points with 3:11 left to play in the third before Norfolk State used back-to-back baskets from Johnson, and a 3-pointer from Clark to build the lead back up to 20. Wheeler made a jumper inside the paint with six seconds to go, increasing the advantage back to 20 at the end of the third quarter.
 
Clark continued the Spartans' momentum in the fourth quarter, grabbing a steal and dishing it to Diawara, giving the Spartans their largest advantage of the contest at 22 points with 8:41 left to play in the game.
 
The Seahawks used a 7-0 run to cut the margin back down to 15 points. Norfolk State kept control of the game though with a 7-0 run of their own, increasing the lead back to 22 points.
 
Both teams emptied their benches late in the game as Norfolk State claimed its sixth win of the 2024-25 campaign, 71-52.
 
Checking the Box Score

• Diamond Johnson led the Spartans in scoring with 20 points, adding six steals, six rebounds, and five assists.
• Da'Brya Clark (19), Kierra Wheeler (16), and Makoye Diawara (11) all scored in double figures
• Ciara Bailey (2) and Jenesis Hill (1) both scored their first points in a Spartan uniform
• Norfolk State shot over 50 percent in the first (10-of-19) and the fourth quarters (7-of-14)
• NSU picked up 17 steals compared to UNCW five steals

 
News & Notes

• NSU snapped UNCW's four-game winning streak
• Norfolk State improved to 6-1 with the win
• UNCW fell to 4-3 with the loss
• The Seahawks' still lead the all-time series 9-6
• Stephanie Mosley made her Norfolk State debut, playing three minutes and dishing out an assist
• Diamond Johnson has recorded back-to-back games with at least five steals
• Da'Brya Clark scored a career-high 19 points

 
 
Up Next
The Norfolk State women's team will travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Discover Puerto Rico Shootout next weekend. The Spartans will play three games beginning on Nov. 28 against Washington State, Nov. 29 against Wyoming, and Nov. 30 against Green Bay.
 
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