Box Score

NORFOLK, VA – A slow second half start led to a 60-43 loss for the Chowan University Women's Basketball team at the hands of Norfolk State University on Wednesday.  Chowan falls to 1-2 on the short season, while Norfolk State moves to 2-0.
 
Norfolk State, a Division I member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), outscored Chowan 30-19 in the second half and held the Hawks to just 20.3% shooting for the game.
 
Talaya Lynch led the Chowan attack with 14 points, including a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line.  She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.  Janelle Murphy drained two threes as a part of her 12 total points.
 
Whitney Long led Norfolk State with 19 points, including 13 in the first half.  Rachel Gordon brought down 13 rebounds and was 5-5 from the charity stripe for the Lady Spartans.
 
Both teams started slow from the floor, as Norfolk State notched the game's first field goal at the 15:47 mark of the first half.  Courtney Smith scored her first points of the season with 13:38 remaining to give Chowan their first field goal and give the Hawks a 6-5 lead.
 
Five straight Lynch points tied the score at 13 with 9:15 to play.  It appeared the Hawks' shooting woes were over, as Murphy drained a three-pointer with 7:30 remaining to bring Chowan within one at 19-18.
 
For the remainder of the half, though, Chowan managed just two more field goals – both from Murphy.  Courtney Knight added a free throw during that stretch to keep it close, and Chowan trailed by just six at halftime, 30-24.
 
Chowan shot 23.3% from the floor in the first half, but made three three-pointers and seven free throws to make up for it.
 
The Lady Spartans, unlike the first half, got off to a fast start to open the second.  NSU made four of their first eight shots and opened up a 44-28 lead with 14:17 remaining in the game.  Summer Curtis made a layup at the 12:14 mark to break a 0-8 shooting slump for the Hawks.
 
Norfolk State went on a 10-2 run midway through the half to pull away, 54-32.  Chowan's defense buckled down from there, and held NSU without a field goal for the final 7:17 of the game.  The Lady Spartans managed only four free throws over that period.
 
But the deficit was too much to overcome, and the Lady Spartans walked away with the 17 point victory.  Chowan connected on just five field goals in the second half.
 
NSU out-rebounded Chowan 61-43 and outscored the Hawks 22-14 in the paint.  Chowan won the turnover battle 25 to 22.  The Hawks had just four assists for the game, while Norfolk State tallied 11 helpers.
 
Chowan will travel to Mount Olive College on Saturday, November 19^th.  A 12:00pm tip-off is scheduled.