DOVER, Del. – The Norfolk State University women's basketball team delivered a balanced performance on Saturday afternoon, earning a 69-53 road victory over Delaware State at Memorial Hall. With the win, the Spartans improved to 7-11 overall and 2-1 in MEAC play, while the Hornets dropped to 3-15 and 0-3 in conference action.
Norfolk State placed five players in double figures, led by Cire Worley with a team-high 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including three triples. Worley, tied her season high points total, added five assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
LeAire Nicks tied her career high with 12 points, while Jasha Clinton also finished with 12. Anjanae Richardson contributed 11 points, and Da'Brya Clark recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, including 12 defensive boards.
Delaware State opened the scoring on a layup from Jermesha Frierson, but Worley answered immediately with back-to-back three-pointers from opposite corners to give Norfolk State a 6-2 edge. Layups from Clinton and Clark extended the advantage to 10-2, forcing a Hornets timeout.
DSU responded with a 7-2 run to pull within three, but Clinton pushed the pace off a steal to restore a five-point lead. After the Hornets closed within two, the Spartans regrouped with a 6-0 run, capped by a Clinton fastbreak layup, to take a 20-12 advantage late in the opening quarter. Delaware State countered with a 7-0 spurt of its own to trim the margin to one, before Clinton closed the quarter at the free-throw line to send Norfolk State into the second period leading 22-19.
Niyah Gaston opened the second quarter with a three-pointer to stretch the lead to six. After a pair of Hornets free throws, the Spartans seized control with a decisive 14-2 run to close the half, taking a 39-23 lead into the break. Clark, Clinton, Nicks, Iyanna Rogers, and Worley all contributed during the surge.
Both teams started the third quarter slowly, with nearly two minutes passing before a basket. Delaware State scored the first six points to cut the deficit to 10, but Norfolk State responded with timely plays. Worley connected from deep, and Clark converted a layup off a steal to restore a double-digit cushion. The Spartans finished the quarter on a 9-2 run to build a commanding 54-34 lead entering the final 10 minutes.
Delaware State opened the fourth quarter with four quick points before Gaston knocked down a corner three to push the margin back to 19. The Hornets mounted a brief push midway through the period, but Norfolk State remained in control, closing out the contest by outscoring Delaware State 10-9 over the final stretch to secure the 69-53 victory.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Final: Norfolk State 69, Delaware State 53
- Team Comparisons
- Points in the Paint: NSU 34, DSU 28
- Fast Break Points: NSU 14, DSU 11
- Assists: NSU 18, DSU 8
- Blocks: NSU 4, DSU 2
STORYLINES
- Head coach Jermaine Woods is now just four wins away from his 50th career victory.
- Norfolk State has won 11 consecutive meetings against Delaware State and extends its all-time series lead to 33-24.
- The Spartans secured their seventh win of the 2025-26 season and second MEAC victory.
- The win marked Norfolk State's third road victory of the season; N.C. A&T (12/6 - 63-50), N.C. Central (1/3 - 68-48), and DSU (1/10 - 69-53).
UP NEXT
Norfolk State returns to action after a week off, traveling to Orangeburg, S.C., to face the South Carolina State Bulldogs on Saturday, Jan. 17.
