NORFOLK, Va. – The shortest road trip of the season is next on the schedule for Norfolk State women's basketball as the Spartans take the quick jump across town to face Old Dominion this Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Ted Constant Center. NSU (0-1) looks to slow down the fast-starting Monarchs (1-0) while putting its own offensive woes behind it.
 
The Opening Tip
Norfolk State suffered prolonged scoring droughts in its season-opening 60-42 loss at Ole Miss on Tuesday. After seizing the initiative with a game-opening 8-0 run, the Spartan offense stalled out towards the end of the first quarter, ceding momentum to the Rebels (1-0) in head coach Yolanda McPhee-McCuin's first game on the Ole Miss bench.
 
NSU led 11-2 just two-and-a-half minutes into the game but did not score again for six minutes and 30 seconds, as the Rebels went ahead 12-11 on the strength of a 10-0 run. After Kendrea Dawkins gave the Spartans a 13-12 edge with 1:01 left in the period, NSU did not score again for 6:28 of game time, allowing Ole Miss to stake claim to a 22-13 lead.
 
The Spartans cut the deficit to six following a hot start to the third quarter but could never pull any closer. Facing a nine-point gap with four minutes left in the game, the Spartans allowed a 9-0 game-closing run by Ole Miss.
 
Norfolk State's offense struggled throughout the game, making only 26.5 percent of its shots (13-of-49), including a 1-of-11 effort in the fourth quarter. However, the Spartans had a sterling showing at the charity stripe, knocking down 12 of their 14 free throws (85.7 percent).
 
Ole Miss shot 39.0 percent for the game and controlled the boards, out-rebounding NSU 43-34, including 16-9 on the offensive glass. Jhileiyah Dunlap turned in a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Rebels and also chipped in four blocks and three steals.
 
Sizing up Old Dominion
The Monarchs cruised their way to an 83-59 season-opening win at Campbell on Tuesday. ODU took firm control of the game on the strength of a 22-5 run to close out the first half.
 
Ajah Wayne paced the offence with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting as the Monarchs scored the most points in head coach Nikki McCray-Penson's early tenure. Wayne is one of nine newcomers on ODU's roster -- only three players returned from the 2017-18 squad.
 
 Highlighting the returners is junior Taylor Edwards, the team's leading shooter (49.7 percent) and rebounder (6.0) in 2017-18. ODU also returns the services of 2017-18 C-USA All-Freshman team honoree Victoria Morris, who led the Monarchs in scoring (11.0) and 3-pointers (79) last season.
 
Tuesday's offensive outburst was a welcome sight after the Monarchs scored just 54.6 points per game last season, finishing 8-23 and 6-10 in C-USA. Last year's ODU team shot 37.9 percent from the floor, 31.0 percent from deep and 63.0 from the foul line.
 
All-Time Series vs. Old Dominion
Friday marks the 18th meeting all-time between the two Norfolk rivals and is the second game in three seasons. The two teams first met Jan. 15, 1975, a 68-65 victory for the Spartans, and then played at least once per season until the series abruptly went dormant following the 1982-83 season. The rivalry resumed on Nov. 30, 2008 with a 97-54 NSU loss.
 
Dating back to 1977, the Spartans are currently on a 12-game losing streak against the Monarchs.
The last meeting saw ODU down NSU, 65-54, on the strength of a 24-8 third quarter. Offense was at a premium that night as neither team shot above 32.0 percent. The Spartans went 10-of-35 (28.6) from the field and did not make a trey, missing all six of their attempts.
 
Only two active players, Alexys Long and Taylor Edwards competed in the last matchup. Long scored three points in 19 minutes of action and picked up one rebound. Edwards went scoreless and saw the court for only three minutes.
 
NSU vs. Conference USA
The Spartans are 4-22 all-time against teams currently in C-USA with wins against ODU (three) and FAU (one). NSU's 17 games and 14 losses against Old Dominion are the most against current C-USA squads.
 
Bucs Take over Norfolk
Tuscaloosa, Alabama may be nearly 800 miles away from Norfolk, but Friday's game at the Ted Constant Center will serve as a reunion of sorts for the Shelton State CC women's basketball team. Located in the aforementioned Tuscaloosa, Shelton State CC has five representatives in this game between NSU and ODU. The Spartans claim Dawkins, Dana Echols and Raven Russell, while the Monarchs enjoy the services of Maggie Robinson and Ashley Scott.
 
All five played together on the 2016-17 Bucs team that posted a 34-3 record, won the Alabama
Community College Conference and placed third at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division-I tournament. Russell topped the group of five players in scoring that year, averaging 10.3 points per game.
 
Following the departures of Russell and Dawkins to NSU, Echols, Robinson and Scott helped push the Bucs to a 36-1 record, ACCC regular season and tournament titles and another third-place finish in the NJCAA D-I tournament. Robinson was third on that team in scoring, and Echols ranked in the top-10 nationally in assists (5.7), steals (3.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
What's Ahead?
The Spartans open a stretch of three home games in seven days next Tuesday when they welcome Cheyney (Pa.) to Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall  at 6 p.m. The Midshipmen of Navy then come to town for a 4 p.m. clash on Sunday, Nov. 18. Finally, NSU caps the home stand against Campbell at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20.