Postgame Interviews: Coach Vickers | Khalilah Ali

NORFOLK, Va. – Senior forward Khalilah Ali narrowly missed a triple-double, registering career highs of 19 points, nine blocks and eight rebounds as the Norfolk State women's basketball team remained undefeated in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 71-40 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday afternoon at Echols Hall.
 
The Spartans (8-7, 3-0 MEAC) last started 3-0 in conference play in their MEAC championship season of 2001-02, which was the only other year NSU has started 3-0 in conference play in its Division I era.
 
Dominique Harper, Kayla Roberts and Kiara Phillips joined Ali in double-digit scoring. Harper registered her seventh consecutive double-digit scoring game, with 10 points, while Roberts added 11 points and nine rebounds. Phillips chipped in with 13 points. Jordan Strode led the team with 10 rebounds while dropping in nine points.
 
Ali's nine blocks are the second-most in a game in NSU history. She was just two rejections shy of the school record of 11, set by Tiffany Gadsden in 2006-07. In addition, the nine blocks are the second-most in the country this season and the most in the conference based on statistics entering the day.
 
Norfolk State's offense was clicking from the beginning of the game as Phillips drained a 3-pointer from the left corner on a beautiful pass from Strode just 14 seconds into the game. Phillips returned the favor when she found Ali, who was cutting down the paint for a layup which gave the Spartans an 11-3 lead with 6:04 left in the first quarter.
 
The Lady Eagles (3-12, 2-1 MEAC) cut the lead to 15-11 at the end of the quarter. However, Norfolk State slammed the door shut in the second quarter by allowing NCCU just five points on two made field goals and one made free throw in the period. The Spartans went to the locker room with a 27-16 lead.
 
The third was more of the same, as the Spartans outscored the Lady Eagles 14-9 in the period and led 41-25 heading into the final frame. North Carolina Central matched its two field goals from the second quarter and added five points from the charity stripe.
 
The Spartans put the game away with a 12-5 run over the first four minutes of the final quarter. Phillips buried another three to cap the spurt and make the score 53-31. The final margin of 31 matched NSU's largest of the game, with Alexys Long drilling a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left for the final bucket of the game.
 
Norfolk State outrebounded the Lady Eagles 45-33. The Spartans registered 12 blocks, while North Carolina Central notched just one.
 
The Spartans hit 50 percent (28-of-56) from the floor, their second-highest mark of the season. NSU also hit a season-high 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from 3-point range.
 
The Lady Eagles shot 21.7 percent (13-of-60) from the floor, which is the second-lowest by an NSU opponent on the campaign.
 
The 31-point margin of victory was NSU's largest against a Division I opponent this season, and third-largest in any victory. The win was NSU's sixth this season by at least 20 points.
 
Deja McCain led North Carolina Central with 14 points and six boards, while Morgan Jones added 11 points.
 
The Spartans will next be in action on Monday, when they travel to Dover, Del. to take on Delaware State at 5:30 p.m.