The Norfolk State Lady Spartans (24-5, 13-1) beat Howard University Lady Bison ( 13-15, 10-4) 59-53. Although being dominated on the boards 42 to 25. The Lady Spartans were able to still come out on top.
“We have to do a better job rebounding the basketball”. Head Coach Larry Vickers said. “We got three offensive rebounds. You know we can’t win a championship next week getting three offensive rebounds but I’m proud with the energy and intensity we played with for almost the entire game.”
Kierra Wheeler led the way for the Lady Spartans with 14 points 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.
The Lady Spartans and the Lady Bison come out hitting on all cylinders early in the first quarter. Well balanced on both ends with both teams hitting shots, and playing solid defense.
“So gosh, these these ladies have worked hard since June.” Coach Vickers said. “Five losses is amazing. You know, as you kind of go into every year you want to get a little bit better last year we were 26-7 this year to finish up 24 and five in a regular season. We didn’t have an MTE so we could play 31 games like normal but I’m super proud 24-5 that’s amazing win percentage then 15-1 winning in conference 12 in a row now I think at this point so you know offensively we want to do a little things better going into next week. But defensively we’re rolling at the right time is probably the best defense that we played all year. And I think that kind of led to our winning.”
The Lady Spartans pulled away in the second quarter with 10 points and 1 steal off the bench from Danaijah Williams, leading 30-19 at halftime.
“This game was personal because last game.” Danaijah Willams said. “We lost to them so I was like, you know, we gotta stand on business this game. So coming off I told the team we standing on business.”
After halftime, the Lady Bison came out with a 10-0 run putting NSU only up 1 point rolling into the first media timeout.
“Our intensity stunk.” Coach Vickers said. “You know, sometimes you can make a team look bad, and then you feel like they’re a bad team. But that team isn’t bad and they were only looking bad because we were playing tremendous defense. If you play 75 against a good team, they’ll make a run on you. And they dominated us in the third luckily, in the second and in the fourth we were able to be the victors.”
Entering the fourth the Lady Spartans led 42-37.
With 1 minute and 24 seconds left in the 4th, the Lady Spartans led 54-51. The Spartans with the ball, let the shot clock run down and passed it into the post for Kierra Wheeler, she finished a layup after a nice post move to fool the Howard defender.
The Lady Bison came back down and hit 2 free throws to bring them back within 3 after a foul from Niya Fields.
With time running low, the Lady Spartans passed the ball around to kill the clock. Freshman Guard Da’Brya Clark found herself behind the 3-point line wide open but wisely didn’t shoot the ball and let the Howard defender foul her. She went to the line and knocked down 1 free throw to give NSU a 4 point lead.
After 2 missed opportunities from the Lady Bison, Niya Fields knocked down 2 free throws to give the Lady Spartans the win 59-53.
The Lady Spartans will be back in action in the MEAC Basketball championship from March 13 to March 16, opponent and time TBD.
Spartan Echo 