FARMVILLE, Va. — The Norfolk State University women's basketball team will ring in the New Year with a 10-4 record after picking up a 76-59 win over the Lancers of Longwood University on Sunday, Dec. 31. Kierra Wheeler picked up her fifth double-double with a 30-point, 16 rebound performance.
NSU took a 7-2 lead in the first quarter following a pair of free throws from Makoye Diawara. The Lancers pulled within two points, 13-11, but the Spartans closed out the first quarter on a 9-2 run to lead 21-13 heading into the second quarter.
Longwood came back to even the score at 21 all as Norfolk State was held scoreless for the first six minutes of the second quarter. The teams tied the score twice more before the Lancers took a 29-26 lead but a basket by Kierra Wheeler put the Spartans within one point, 29-28, heading into halftime.
Longwood held the lead for the first five minutes of the third quarter and held a 36-32 lead, but a pair of free throws from Wheeler and a three pointer from Diamond Johnson put Norfolk State in the lead 37-36. In the last five minutes, NSU went on a 21-5 run that put the Green and Gold ahead 53-39 heading into the final 10 minutes of action.
The Lancers tried to rally against the Spartans and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter but Norfolk State kept Longwood at bay by putting 25 points on the board to claim the 76-59 victory.
