image via Norfolk State Athletics
Courtesy of Noah Schlekeway, Assistant SID
The Norfolk State women’s basketball team held off Morgan State on the road, picking up the 77-69 win Monday evening at Hill Field House.
Graduate guard Diamond Johnson produced a big game for the Spartans with 24 points, eight steals, seven assists, and five rebounds. Senior forward Kierra Wheeler also posted a big game with 24 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal.
Sophomore guard Da’Brya Clark posted double-figures for the seventh time this season with 12 points.
The Spartans opened the contest with a 6-2 run, culminating with graduate guard Niya Fieldsfinding a wide-open Wheeler underneath the hoop for the score. Johnson found Wheeler again for the layup with 4:51 left in the first quarter, capping off an 8-2 run to force a Morgan State timeout.
Norfolk State continued to dominate the offensive side of the ball following the timeout, with Johnson draining back-to-back 3-pointers, pushing NSU to a 22-10 lead. The Spartans ended the first quarter with an 8-1 run.
Morgan State chipped away at the Norfolk State advantage in the second quarter, holding the Spartans scoreless for the first six and a half minutes. Clark provided a spark for NSU, stopping the 11-0 run with five straight points. Morgan State used a key layup from Laila Fair, cutting the Spartans lead to ten. Norfolk State held the 39-29 edge at the end of the first half.
The duo of Wheeler and Johnson opened the second half with a combined seven points, pushing the Spartans to a 46-32 lead. Morgan State continued to fight back, coming within seven points behind a 3-pointer from Michaela Bogans. Clark answered back on the next possession with a 3-pointer of her own, halting the Bears’ momentum.
Following the media timeout, sophomore guard Anjanae Richardson battled her way to the hoop for a layup, pushing the advantage back to 12 in favor of NSU. Richardson found Wheeler wide open for a layup with 47 seconds left in the third, but Morgan State answered back on the next possession to give Norfolk State a 57-46 lead with one quarter left to play.
The Bears opened the fourth quarter trimming the Spartans’ lead down to seven behind a layup from Jael Butler. Back-to-back baskets from Johnson shifted the momentum back to the Spartans with 6:53 to play, forcing a Morgan State timeout. Johnson continued her scoring run out of the timeout with a 3-pointer, extending the lead back to 12.
Fields pushed the advantage to 16 with a layup midway through the fourth quarter. Morgan State continued to fight back, going on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to six late in the fourth. Wheeler put the game away with a pair of free throws to hold the Bears off in a tough road environment.
Checking the Box Score
- Diamond Johnson and Kierra Wheelerscored a combined 48 points with 24 points each
- Johnson added eight steals, seven assists, and five rebounds to her totals
- Morgan State outrebounded Norfolk State 39-35
- NSU shot 66.7 percent in the opening quarter (12-of-18)
- Monday’s game featured one lead change and one tie
- NSU shot 50 percent from the field for the third-consecutive game (31-of-62)
- NSU outscored MSU 33-13 in fastbreak points
News & Notes
- Norfolk State improved to 16-4 with the win (4-0 MEAC)
- Morgan State fell to 9-10 with the loss (2-2 MEAC)
- NSU snapped MSU’s seven-game home winning streak
- The Spartans have won five straight games dating back to Dec. 29
- The Spartans now lead the all-time series 30-19
Up Next
Norfolk State will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. against Virginia-Lynchburg at Echols Hall.
