NORFOLK, Va. | The Norfolk State University women's basketball team struggled from the floor through three quarters but used a fourth-quarter surge to earn a 47-36 Senior Night victory over Coppin State on Monday night in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.
 
Norfolk State (21-5 overall, 9-2 MEAC) shot 23.9 percent (11-of-46) from the field through three quarters. However, the Spartans shot 33 percent during the final period and was 4-of-5 from the free throw line to pull past Coppin State. The Eagles (6-19, 3-7) led 30-25 with 6:04 left in the third period but went without a field goal for the next 10 minutes, in between the third and fourth quarters, as NSU used a 16-3 run during that span to grab a 41-33 lead.
 
Kierra Wheeler paced Norfolk State with nine points, seven rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. Deja Francis, Niya Fields, Camille Downs and Danaijah Williams each recorded seven points as the Spartans shot 26.2 percent (16-of-61).
 
Jewel Watkins led Coppin State with 10 points and four rebounds. Hope Evans chipped in nine points, seven boards, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot.
 
Coppin State opened the game on an 8-2 run, capped by a Khya Jenkins layup with 6:21 left in the first period, but Norfolk State responded with a 10-2 run over the next two-plus minutes, taking a 12-10 advantage after a 3-pointer by Crystal White with 3:47 remaining.
 
The Eagles got a free throw by Colleen Bucknor with just over a minute left in the quarter as the Spartans held a slim, 12-11, lead at the end of the first.
 
CSU grabbed a 14-12 advantage nearly two minutes into the second on a Jewel Watkins triple, but NSU tied the contest at 14 on a pair of free throws by Camille Downs with 6:40 remaining.
 
Buckets by Fields, Wheeler and Danaijah Williams gave Norfolk State a 22-17 lead with 3:14 left in the half.
 
However, the Spartans, who shot 25 percent in the opening half, went cold down the stretch as Coppin State closed the first half on a 7-0 run, taking a 24-22 advantage into the break.
 
The Eagles stretched the lead to 30-25 after a trey by Evans four minutes into the third quarter.
 
That would be the last field goal CSU would have over the next 10-plus minutes as the Spartans started to build some momentum offensively and defensively.
 
A Fields jumper with just over a minute left gave NSU the 32-31 lead as the Spartans carried the slim margin into the final period.
 
Norfolk State began the fourth on a 9-2 run, capped by a Field triple as the Spartans took advantage of Coppin State's cold shooting to grab a 41-33 lead with 5:39 left.
 
Back-to-back jumpers by Danaijah Williams and Skye Robinson pushed NSU's lead to 45-35 with 3:02 remaining and Coppin State could not recover.
 
Norfolk State controlled the final three minutes to pick up the Senior Night victory.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Norfolk State shot 26.2 percent (16-of-61) from the floor and 75.0 percent (12-of-16) from the free-throw line
• Kierra Wheeler recorded nine points, seven rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot
• Deja Francis, Niya Fields, Camille Downs and Danaijah Williams each registered seven points
• The Spartans finished with 21 points off 26 Coppin State turnovers, 16 points in the paint, 14 bench points, nine second-chance points and nine fast break points
• Coppin State went 12-of-44 shooting (27.3 percent) and 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) from the charity stripe
• Jewel Watkins tallied 10 points and four rebounds
• Hope Evans chipped in nine points, seven boards, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot.
• The Eagles finished with 10 points in the paint, eight fast break points, five second-chance points, five points off 11 Norfolk State turnovers and four bench points

UP NEXT
Norfolk State takes to the road for its final three regular season games, starting on Saturday at South Carolina State. Tip-off against the Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. from the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
 
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