NORFOLK, Va. --- The Norfolk State women's basketball team will be making its fifth consecutive postseason appearance, and its second Women's National Invitational (WNIT) appearance in school history, hosting Loyola Chicago in the opening round on Saturday, March 21.
KEY STORYLINES
- Head Coach Jermaine Woods is in his first season as Norfolk State's head coach. He is making his second appearance in the WNIT after leading Coppin State to the second-round last season
- Norfolk State and Loyola Chicago will meet for the first time in program history • NSU will be making its second appearance in the WNIT, with the first coming in the 2022 tournament when the Spartans fell to Drexel in the opening round 54-47
- The Spartans will be making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance after making the last three NCAA Tournaments
- Da'Brya Clark set a new single-season school record in the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament for most made 3-pointers (73), surpassing Diamond Johnson (70, 2024-25)
- Norfolk State ranks 10th in the nation in steals per game with 12.7 per contest, while also ranking 22nd in blocks per game (5.0), turnovers forced per game at 21.00, and third in field goal percentage defense (33.3)
- Jasha Clinton currently ranks eighth in the nation in steals per game with 3.44 and in total steals (110)
- Clark ranks 49th in 3-pt attempts (224), 66th in steals (74), and 54th in steals per game (2.48)
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
- Loyola Chicago enters the postseason with a 14-17 record (9-9 A-10)
- LUC defeated St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Conference first round (61-59), before falling to top-seeded Rhode Island 71-64 in the quarterfinals
- Freshman forward Alex-Anne Bessette leads the Ramblers with 11.4 points per game. She was named to the A-10 All-Rookie team and the A-10 All-Conference Third Team
- Graduate guard Alexus Mobley ranks second on the team with 11.2 points per game, while Alexa Kinas averages 10.1 points per game
- The Ramblers average 56.6 points per game, while allowing 61.5 points per contest
- LUC shoots 38.9 percent from the floor, 26.5 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 64.1 percent at the free throw line
- Head Coach Allison Guth is in her fourth season as head coach at Loyola Chicago
LAST TIME OUT
- Norfolk State fell to Howard 53-46 in the MEAC Championship game
- Clinton led the Spartans with 11 points • Richardson added 10 points, while Kweti grabbed 13 rebounds
- Saturday's game featured four lead changes and seven ties
- Howard scored 24 second-chance points to Norfolk State's six
- NSU outscored HU in the paint 26-18
- The Spartans' bench outscored the Bison's 9-3
SPARTANS IN THE MEAC
- Norfolk State currently leads the MEAC in opponent FG % (.339), blocks (153), blocks per game (4.91), steals (396), steals per game (12.38), scoring defense (58.1), 3-point FG's made (184), and turnover margin (3.81)
- NSU ranks second in turnovers forced per game (21.0), scoring offense (63.7), and in scoring margin (+5.7)
- Jasha Clinton ranks third in the MEAC in points with 13.3 ppg, while Da'Brya Clark ranks second with 13.7 ppg
- Anjanae Richardson sits sixth in assists (2.8), 10th in scoring (10.6 ppg) and 17th in rebounds per game (4.5 rpg)
- Carmen Kweti leads the MEAC in blocks per game (1.3), total blocks (37), and ranks ninth in rebounds per game (6.0)
- Clinton also sits in fifth in the MEAC in field goal percentage (.419), while leading the conference in total steals (110), steals per game (3.4), and assists (4.0 apg)
- Clark ranks first in 3-PT FG pg (2.4), 3-PT FG made (73), third in steals (2.5 pg), third in blocked shots (1.0 pg), sixth in free throw % (.730) and 12th in assists (2.2 pg)
THE PATH AHEAD
- Norfolk State looks to claim its first-ever NCAA Division I postseason victory
- If the Spartans defeat the Ramblers, they will move on to the second round of the WNIT to take on Florida Gulf Coast
- NSU must win six games to win the WNIT
POSTSEASON ACCOLADES
- Jasha Clinton became just the third Norfolk State player to receive the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year award, following Chanette Hicks (2019-20) and Camille Downs (2021-22, 2022-23)
- Da'Brya Clark was named to the All-MEAC First Team after receiving All-MEAC Third Team honors last season
- Anjanae Richardson and Clinton each were named to the All-MEAC Second Team
- Clark and Clinton each received All-MEAC Defensive Team honors
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (X/Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
