image via Matt Patterson
Courtesy of Noah Schlekeway, Assistant SI, Norfolk State Athletics
The Norfolk State women’s basketball team capped off its second-consecutive undefeated home campaign at Echols Hall in dominating fashion, defeating Morgan State 90-46 on Monday evening.
Norfolk State finished the year 11-0 at Echols Hall, while winning its 26th consecutive home game. The streak marks the longest active home winning streak in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
Graduate guard Diamond Johnson led NSU with 22 points, adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals to her totals. She also shot an impressive 10-of-15 from the field (66.7 percent).
Kierra Wheeler (14), Da’naijah Williams (12), Anjanae Richardson (12), Niya Fields (10), and Makoye Diawara (10) all scored in double-figures in the win.
The Spartans opened the contest on a 12-2 run, capped off by a Johnson steal leading to a Diawara 3-pointer. NSU continued its strong offensive attack, building a 19-4 lead with 4:55left to play in the first quarter. MSU gained some ground back, cutting the lead to nine behind a Gabrielle Johnson 3-pointer just before the end of the first quarter.
Wheeler got the Spartans going to start the second quarter, scoring the first four points of the period. Anjanae Richardson drained a fastbreak 3-pointer, giving the Spartans’ a 32-13 advantage.
Skye Robinson scored a pair of points from the charity stripe, allowing NSU to gain its largest lead of the game thus far at 21 points with 3:57left to play. Norfolk State ended the quarter on a 6-2 run, taking a 46-21 lead into the locker room.
Johnson opened the second half with an and-one layup. Norfolk State extend the lead to 31 points behind Johnson’s jumper with 6:39 left to play in the third quarter. The Spartans continued their aggressive offensive attack, going on a 9-0 run through the middle of the third quarter, capped off by a pair of Richardson free throws.
Morgan State halted the Spartans’ momentum, scoring seven points down the stretch of the third quarter, before Johnson drained a jumper from inside the paint, allowing NSU to take a 72-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Spartans continued to find success on both sides of the court, going on a 7-2 run to open the fourth quarter. The two teams traded baskets throughout the middle of the fourth quarter, before Fields sealed the win with a 3-pointer with just 2:04 left to play. Jenesis Hill put the final touches on the 90-46 win, sinking a free throw just before time expired.
Checking the Box Score
- Diamond Johnson led the Spartans with 14 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7 percent)
- Kierra Wheeler (14), Da’naijah Williams (12), Anjanae Richardson (12), Makoye Diawara(10) and Niya Fields (10) all scored in double-figures
- Norfolk State shot 64.2 percent from the floor, its best clip in a single game since 2013 (Virginia-Lynchburg 12-20-13, 63.2 percent)
- Monday’s game featured one lead change and one tie
- NSU dominated the paint, outscoring MSU 48-18
News & Notes
- Norfolk State improved to 24-4 with the win (11-0 MEAC)
- Morgan State fell to 11-15 with the loss (4-7 MEAC)
- NSU now leads the all-time series with Morgan State 30-19
- Norfolk State finished the 2024-25 home portion 11-0, marking its second consecutive season with an unbeaten record at Echols Hall
- NSU has won 26 consecutive home games, which became the longest active home win streak in NCAA Division I on Saturday
- Diamond Johnson is now nine points away from 2,000 career points
- All five NSU seniors scored in double-figures on senior day
- Da’naijah Williams posted a season high 12 points in the win
Up Next
Norfolk State hits the road for its final three games of the regular season, beginning at South Carolina State on Saturday, March 1st at 2 p.m.
