NORFOLK, Va. -- A game-high 23-point effort from Chanette Hicks led Norfolk State to a second-half comeback that saw the Spartans overcome Longwood 49-46 Thursday evening at Echols Hall.
Hicks scored 16 of her 23 points in the second half to help Norfolk State (5-3) overcome a breakout first quarter in which they built a 16-5 and cruised into halftime with a 26-17 lead. Eleven of Hicks' points came in succession at the start of the third quarter, and she polished off that run with an assist on Cam Platt-Morris' game-tying three-pointer with 1:05 remaining in the period.
The loss was Longwood's third straight by three points and fourth one-possession defeat this season.
"I think the third quarter hurt us and certainly deflated us," said head coach Rebecca Tillett. "We have to get better at responding and finding a way to hold leads. I think we need louder voices on this team; we need louder voices in practice, louder voices in the locker room, louder voices that help us achieve the goals that we set."
After tying the game at 36-36 with that third-quarter rally, Norfolk State edged Longwood 13-10 in the final frame and took the lead for good when Hicks hit back-to-back free throws with 1:48 to play.
"We are hurting to lose three games in a row by three points," added Tillett, "With two of the losses coming on the road, and with the big goals that our team has set for ourselves... we need to turn our focus to preparation and one possession at a time at practice and how important our standards and core values are in a practice setting."
That effort overcame another double-digit scoring effort from Longwood senior Dayna Rouse, who amassed 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting while stuffing the stat sheet with six rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal.
Longwood and Norfolk State traded the lead five times in the final quarter of play as the Spartans grabbed control of the lead in the closing minutes with a four-point advantage. Akila Smith brought the Lancers within two points off of a put-back layup under the basket on her own missed free-throw.
Longwood fouled to prolong the game in the final seconds, sending the Spartans to the free-throw line, where Norfolk went on to make 1-of-2 from the line, securing the victory for Norfolk State, 49-46.
Rouse paced the Lancer offense in the defeat with 21-points, shooting 9-of-13 from the court. Rouse's 21-point performance pushed her over the 800 marks for career points as a Lancer, while raising her season average to 15.7 points per game, ranking her fifth in all of the Big South. She added to her offensive performance with six rebounds and three blocks.
Contributing on the offensive side of the ball for the Lancers was Freshman Kyla McMakin, who joined Rouse as the only Lancers to score in double-figures. McMakin scored 11-points while coming just two rebounds shy of a double-double with eight on the night. On the defensive side of the ball, McMakin was a presence with five steals.
Alika Smith, who made the final Lancer basket of the night, set a new a career-best with five blocks in the contest, moving her to a tie for the lead in the Big South Conference averaging 2.0 blocks per game.
"There was a huge focus on the defensive effort, Tillett finished. "We held Norfolk to 29% shooting and forced them to do things they didn't want to do. When you look at a stat sheet after a game like this, it can be surprised by the outcome when one team does so many things right, but it's a one-possession game, and one thing in a game like that can turn the tide."
Nearing the end of their non-conference portion of the schedule, Longwood will return home to Willett Hall on Sunday, December 15, for a 3 p.m. tipoff against the Hornets of Delaware State University. The Lancers will complete their non-conference schedule on the road December 19 in Princess Anne, Maryland, against Maryland Eastern Shore.
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