NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- The Norfolk State women's basketball team got its MEAC title defense off on the right foot Wednesday afternoon and are now two wins away from going back to the Big Dance.
Kierra Wheeler and Diamond Johnson each scored 19 points as the Spartans pulled away to cruise past South Carolina State, 75-43, in the MEAC quarterfinals at Scope.
The Bulldogs gave the Spartans some problems in the opening frame, keeping it close and limiting the Spartan lead to 20-14 at the first intermission.
However, Norfolk State started to play its brand of basketball in the second, holding SCSU to just six points in the frame and going into halftime up 34-20. A 21-8 third quarter put the game out of reach and the green and gold cruised to their 25th victory of the campaign.
"This is the scariest one, especially when you're playing against a team that has nothing to lose," head coach Larry Vickers said after the win. "They were playing with house money today and I looked up and it's like 20-14 at the end of the first period. I'm like 'what's going on?' But we got it together in the second and third. We played a lot better."
"My team is definitely not morning people, so you didn't see them at 7:00 AM," smiled Wheeler. "To see them bounce back from 7:00 AM, it was good enough for me, but today I'm glad we fought it out and got the win. It's all about surviving in this tournament."
Wheeler added seven rebounds to her stat line, with Johnson dishing out five assists. Danaijah Williams chipped in 10 points to round out the Spartans in double figures.
The NSU defense was stingy, forcing South Carolina State into 31 turnovers and scoring 36 points off the takeaways. The Spartans also came away with 15 steals and 10 blocks.
Norfolk State moves on to face Coppin State in Friday's semifinals. Tipoff is set for noon.
