W&M Wins Double-OT Heartbreaker Over NSU, 79-76
NORFOLK, Va. - If there is such a thing as a moral victory, the Norfolk State women's basketball team earned one of the biggest wins of the year against William & Mary. Unfortunately, a moral victory was all it was.
Showing plenty of fight against a Tribe team that was coming off an upset of Virginia Tech, NSU forced double overtime and nearly came away with the victory before falling to William & Mary, 79-76, Monday evening at Joseph Echols Hall.
The Tribe missed a 3-pointer at the end of the first half, and then Jaclyn McKenna converted a layup with 16 seconds to go to force the second overtime. NSU, which had a four-point lead in the first overtime, stretched it to five in the second extra stanza before William & Mary clamped down on defense.
The Tribe forced NSU to go for two down by three points at the end of the second overtime with the 3-point line tightly guarded. Kyla Kerstetter ran down the court on the inbounds pass and converted a layup with one second to go to ice the win. The Spartans scored just two points in the last three and a half minutes of the second overtime.
NSU's eight-point lead in the first half was the largest by either team throughout the game. The Spartans had the advantage throughout most of the first half before the Tribe came back to take a four-point lead at the break, 26-22. William & Mary erased a four-point deficit late in the second half.
NSU fell to 4-2 on the year, as the Spartans nearly ended a nine-game losing streak to the Tribe (3-2). NSU's last victory in the series occurred Jan. 12, 2000, and only one of those nine setbacks since then has been by single digits.
William & Mary defeated NSU by an average margin of 31 points per game the last three years, including a 50-point win three years ago.
Senior Whitney Long added 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range, with five rebounds, three steals and two assists. NSU held the edge on the stat sheet, shooting 30-of-69 (43.5 percent), compared to 28-of-73 (38.4 percent) for the Tribe. William & Mary shot 7-of-28 from long range, while NSU was more efficient, hitting 5-of-15.
The Spartans also had a 44-42 edge in rebounds and were a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Despite both teams committing 16 fouls, William & Mary had 10 more attempts from the free throw line (16-of-21).
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Whittington Leads Eagles to Rout of Cheyney
BALTIMORE -- Crystal Whittington led five players in double figures with 15 points and Coppin State used its best shooting night of the season to rout Cheyney 94-39 on Monday in the Physical Education Complex.
The Eagles shot a blistering 54.3 percent from the floor, including 64.9 percent shooting in the first half, in posting their largest ever margin of victory in the Physical Education Complex.
Coppin State, which snapped a two-game losing streak, outrebounded Cheyney 55-32 and forced the Wolves into 30 turnovers. The Eagles scored 39 points off of Cheyney turnovers and outscored the Wolves 60-20 in the paint.
Whittington was 7-of-12 from the floor and also added seven rebounds. Kyra Coleman, Larrisa Carter and Jaleah Holsey each had 12 points for Coppin State, while Jeanine Manley added 10 points.
Leola Spotwood led the Eagles with 11 rebounds and she also added eight points and two assists.
Coppin State (2-3) finished with a season-high 26 assists led by Dawnnae Roberts who had six.
Cheyney, which dropped to 0-5 on the season, was led by Nadirah Brown who had 11 points and seven rebounds.
For the complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Lady Pirates Upend Chicago State For Second Straight Win
CHICAGO - T Hampton University picked up its second straight win on Monday, as the Lady Pirates upended Chicago State 66-39 at the Emil & Patricia Jones Convocation Center.
The Lady Pirates (4-1) held Chicago State to just 13 field goals on the night, including just five in the second half.
Senior guard Choicetta McMillian had her second straight 20-point game, pouring in a team-high 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting and five 3-pointers. Senior forward Melanie Warner added 19 points, going 7-for-10 from the floor and 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
Sophomore forward Alyssa Bennett led the way on the boards, tying her career high with 11 rebounds, while senior guard Jericka Jenkins dished out a season-high 11 assists.
The Lady Pirates shot a season-best 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the floor and made eight of their 18 3-pointers - as well as all six of their free throws. Hampton also held a decisive 44-20 edge on the boards, and the Lady Pirates forced Chicago State (0-7) into 21 turnovers - scoring 30 points off of them.
Hampton also had 33 points off the bench and 17 fast-break points.
Chicago State shot just 28.9 (13-for-45) percent from the floor - including a 5-for-17 clip in the second half - and only made 12 of 19 free throws.
Dockery led the Cougars with 16 points.
For the complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com