Women's Basketball 2/26/2008 5:00:00 AM MEAC Media Relations

Spartans Rout Winston-Salem 69-45, Complete Season Sweep

The Norfolk State women's basketball team recorded its most convincing win of the season with a 69-45 rout of Winston-Salem State on Monday evening at the Joel Coliseum Annex.

With the win, NSU (5-19) completed the season sweep of WSSU (2-23). The Spartans held off the Lady Rams 62-61 on Jan. 28 at Echols Hall.

The Spartans followed head coach Tara A. Owens' game plan of taking an early lead and being alert on defense. NSU jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Raychele Payne and a three-point play by Ebony Gibbs. The Lady Rams tied the game at 6-all on a 3-pointer by Corbin Bradford with 15:26 left in the first half, but Danelle Tate made good on a three-point play of her own and the Spartans did not look back for the rest of the game.

The Spartan defense also performed very well as NSU forced a season-high 39 turnovers and had a season-best 19 steals. The Spartans also limited WSSU to 31.9 percent shooting from the field (15-of-47), which is the second-lowest field goal percentage for a Spartan opponent this season.

NSU led by as many as 12 in the first half. Payne hit a 3-pointer with 2:10 left in the period to put the Spartans up 35-23. Vontisha Woods hit two free throws to cut the lead to eight, but Payne hit a layup with eight seconds left to take an 11-point lead, 38-27, into the break.

The Spartans continued to control the game well into the second half, leading by as many as 26 points and forcing 20 WSSU turnovers along the way. The Spartans shot a season-high 43.9 percent from the field (25-of-57) and tied their season-best of 46.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc (6-of-13).

Woods was the only WSSU player to score in double figures. She had 20 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.

For the Spartans, Payne led the way with 23 points and a career-high six steals. Gibbs had 12 points, six assists, and five steals. Tate had 13 points and five rebounds, while Natasha Huntley had 11 points and two steals. Genor Dalton and Tashawna Higgins both tied their career-highs with seven rebounds apiece.

NSU travels to cross-town rival Hampton for a 4 p.m. game on Saturday.