NORFOLK — Head coach Jermaine Woods didn’t need fireworks for his 50th career victory. He just needed defense.
Norfolk State (11-12, 6-2 MEAC) earned him the milestone win with a 58-45 MEAC women’s basketball victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday at Echols Hall. It was the Spartans’ eighth straight win over the Eagles dating back to the 2022-23 season.
“I’m grateful for it,” Woods said. “Took a while to get here, but it feels good. Tribute to all the players that I’ve coached. Hopefully, it’s 59 when the season’s over — that’d be the milestone for me.”
After a sluggish first quarter with 5-of-13 shooting and seven turnovers, a 9-0 run in the second sparked by LeAire Nicks and Niyah Gaston shifted momentum and gave NSU a 27-23 halftime lead.
Offense remained at a premium after the break, but guard Da’Brya Clark carried the Spartans through the third. She scored 11 points in the period as Norfolk State clung to a 39-35 advantage heading into the fourth.
Clark was dealing with a “little setback” that could have kept her out of Saturday’s game, but she played. When Woods heard the news, he fell out of his chair, he said jokingly.
“That’s how much she means (to the team) — I don’t want to play without her,” Woods said.
“Even if I’m not scoring, (me being on the court) makes the other team have to play us different,” Clark said of playing through the setback. “So, I just knew my team needed me, and I just pushed through it.”
A 12-3 run spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth pushed the lead to nine and proved decisive.
“I just said it’s winning time,” Woods said of the message to his team heading into the fourth. “Kudos to them for making the winning plays that we haven’t made in tight games.”
Prior to that run, it was a tough, grind-it-out style game for the Spartans. But according to Woods, that’s exactly what the team needed as they prepare for a tough road toward March.
“We haven’t had a win where we had to gut it out,” Woods said. “Today, we talked about them being grown women, stepping up to the plate and holding themselves accountable. We had to win a tough game.”
Clark finished with a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three steals and two blocks. AJ Richardson had 10 points and five rebounds, while Jasha Clinton chipped in eight points, seven rebounds and four steals.
North Carolina Central (5-15, 1-5 MEAC) struggled to find rhythm all afternoon, shooting 22.4% from the floor. MEAC preseason Player of the Year Morgan Callahan managed only 4-of-15 shooting, while Aniya Finger finished with 3 of 13.
The defensive effort continued a season-long trend for Norfolk State, which entered the day ranked 15th nationally in field-goal percentage defense (35.7%).
Norfolk State is back on the road Thursday, traveling to Maryland Eastern Shore (14-11, 7-1 MEAC), which is tied for the conference lead.
“Every game from here on out, we need to try to win because that’s the way we get in first place,” Woods said. “We control our destiny, and we want to continue to move up the ladder.”
