Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletic Communications
NORFOLK, Va. – After a series of recent postponements and cancellations due to the pandemic, the Norfolk State and North Carolina Central women's basketball teams have agreed to move up their Jan. 31 meeting to this Monday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m. in Durham, N.C.
Norfolk State and NCCU's regularly scheduled opponents for Monday – Delaware State and Coppin State, respectively – are in COVID-19 protocols and unable to play. That prompted the Spartans and Eagles to move their Jan. 31 game up, as neither team has played since prior to the holiday break.
Norfolk State's last game was Dec. 19 at William & Mary, while the Eagles last played on Dec. 20 against Johnson & Wales.
The game will be broadcast on 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon on the call. Live video and statistics are available through NCCU's athletics web site.
The NSU-NCCU men's game will remain as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 31 in Durham; that game will be televised live on ESPNU at 9 p.m.
NSU-NCCU Tip-Ins
- The Spartan women will have been off for 22 days by the time they take the floor at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday. Norfolk State had to withdraw from the St. Joe's Hawk Classic Dec. 28-29 due to its own protocols, then had its games with Claflin, Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State postponed due to opponent issues.
- In their last time out, the Spartans' second-half comeback fell short in a 55-50 loss at William & Mary on Dec. 19. Norfolk State trailed by 17 in the first half and got as close as one in the second half before the Tribe held on.
- Camille Downs led the Spartans with 20 points against the Tribe. She has scored in double figures in seven straight games and 20+ in two straight.
- Downs has also won MEAC honors in the last two weeks in which Norfolk State played. She was MEAC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 21 and Defensive Player of the Week on Dec. 14.
- Norfolk State has excelled this year at the free-throw line, where the Spartans lead the MEAC with a 72.9 shooting percentage. Five Spartans have hit at least 74 percent of their free throws.
- Mahoganie Williams, who leads the MEAC in blocks with 2.5 per game, had her third game with at least four rejections this season when she swatted away four shots at W&M.
- North Carolina Central is 1-8 this year. In its last time out, the Eagles beat Johnson and Wales 101-34 on Dec. 20 behind 18 points form Ashlyn Lockard.
- Guard Necole Hope leads the Eagles in scoring, at 12.4 points per game.
- The Spartans lead the all-time series with NCCU 24-9. The teams split four meetings last year, when they both competed in the MEAC's Southern Division.