NORFOLK, Va. (WTKR) — Throughout its MEAC schedule, Norfolk State had just two games decided by single digits.
Appropriately, its third came in the league championship game and the Spartans showed they knew how to hunker down when things got tight.
Behind a fourth quarter surge from Kierra Wheeler, the green and gold fought their way to a grueling 51-46 win to claim their second straight MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament championship.
"We knew what the goal was, we knew there were going to be ups and downs," said Diamond Johnson, who was named the tournament's most outstanding player. "We stayed together, we kept our composure. We just followed through."
The Spartans led 20-18 at halftime but found their footing in the beginning of the third quarter. A 10-3 run out of the locker room helped grown the lead to 30-21 with 4:48 left in the period.
That's when the Bison launched into another gear, rattling off a 17-3 run of their own that stretch into the fourth quarter to take a 38-33 lead.
"We haven't had a close game in 2024. Even the game Howard beat us at their place, it wasn't close," said NSU head coach Larry Vickers. "You saw a lot of nerves because we haven't been in a nip and tuck ballgame."
With 9:17 left to go, Wheeler began to take over. The MEAC Player of the Year would rattle off nine straight points, helping Norfolk State surge to a 42-41 lead.
For the first time since 2014, the MEAC has back-to-back women’s champs!@NorfolkStateWBB repeats with a grinding win over Howard after a 21 year drought, the Spartans are going to two straight NCAA Tournaments and they’re dancing!@WTKR3 pic.twitter.com/dzlhSO6B6U
— Zach Staton (@ZStatonSports) March 16, 2024
"I just wrapped my arms around my team and I told them we're not going home with the L," Wheeler said, who finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds. "We're not going home crying unless it's tears of joy."
Johnson, who scored all 12 of her points in the second half, knocked down a massive three with 4:18 to go to stretch the lead to 45-44. Howard would draw within one again on a triple from Kaiya Creek but could never tie it up.
NSU knocked down six free throws in the closing three minutes to ice the game.
"When we played William & Mary, we went down 20 and came out with a win," said guard Niya Fields. "So to be down five, we knew that as long as we kept control, our poise, and our controlled mindset we would finish on top and that's what happened. We stuck to the plan."
"I had to keep my composure during the game, but once that siren went off, I was just ecstatic," Wheeler said.
Norfolk State becomes the first MEAC team to repeat as tournament champion since Hampton finished off a stretch of five titles in a row in 2014. It's the first time the program has won consecutive titles since 1996, when the team was in the CIAA.
"I'm just happy, you can't really put this into words," Vickers said. "When we won the regular season, I'm not sure I really felt anything because we maybe knew we had that in the bag but this feels amazing."
"We're reaching new heights," Wheeler said. "Last year was the first time we won this in 21 years, so we're breaking record and records and we just want to build Norfolk State up."
The Spartans' destination for the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday during the NCAA's Selection Show, which airs on ESPN at 8:00 p.m.
