(Dover, Del.) – In the first game of the opening round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament, the Delaware State women's basketball team (5-25, 2-14 MEAC) fell big Monday morning for the second time this season to the No. 4 Norfolk State Spartans (13-15, 11-5 MEAC), this time resulting in a 70-45 defeat.   

With this loss, Delaware State ended its 2014-15 campaign on a season-long nine-game losing skid, while the Spartans will move on to play the winner of No. 5 South Carolina State or No. 12 Howard Thursday afternoon (2:30 p.m.).

The opening stanza featured DSU being limited to only 25 percent shooting (6-of-24) and a season-low 14 points in any half this year.  Adding insult to injury, leading scorer (16.1 ppg) and First Team All-MEAC selection Tierra Hawkins failed to register a point due to picking up three fouls.

"We really got into a bad spot scoring only 14 points in the first half," said head coach Tamika Louis.  "We really couldn't get any touches to our main scorer Tierra Hawkins.  So they kind off sagged in to make sure she couldn't get a touch and we just struggled offensively."

NSU, despite also failing to find a groove on the offensive end with a 13-for-36 (.361) effort, managed to take 32-14 lead into the locker room behind 28 boards and 13 second-chance points.

After intermission, Delaware State bounced back with a 12-for-27 (.444) output from the field, including forward Amber Bogard pouring in 14 out of her game-high 18 points (8-of-14).  Bogard also totaled tallied a career-high seven blocks, which is the most ever in DSU single-game history. 

Nevertheless, the Spartans led by as many as 37 on their way to securing their fourth win in five games, spearheaded by MEAC Rookie of the Year Kayla Roberts' double-double performance of 13 points (6-of-13) and 10 rebounds.  As a team, Norfolk State registered 54 boards, compared to DSU's 25, as forward Amber Brown pulled down a game-high 13.

For DSU, guard Jade Washington dished out a game-high six assists, making her the program's the all-time leader with 311.  Washington, who missed 10 games this season because a foot injury, accomplished this feat in just three seasons.  

"When I got hurt, they told me I would be out for the rest of the season," said the senior out of Las Vegas, Nev.  "To be able to accomplish this today was just so mind-blowing."

Hawkins, meanwhile, completed her final game in a Hornet uniform with a season-low six points (2-of-3), along with four rebounds and two steals.   

"I'm just happy with what was I able to do throughout my time here and now ready I'm to go to the next level," said Hawkins, who is one of two players in DSU history to tally at least 1700 points (1759), 800 rebounds (827) and 70 blocks (72).

Looking ahead, the Lady Hornets are set to return 11 players for 2015-16, including two out of their top three leading scorers in Bogard (13.1 ppg) and freshman Mikah Aldridge (9.3 ppg), along with second leading rebounder Nikkei Blackburn (6.8 rpg)

Stingers

DSU finished the game shooting 35 percent (18-of-51), compared to NSU's 42 percent (29-of-69)… The Spartans scored 40 points in the paint, in addition to 21 second-chance points… NSU's First Team All-MEAC selection Rae Corbo posted a team-high 14 points (6-of-13)… DSU is now 22-18 all-time against the Spartans… Guard N'Kayah Kersey drained a game-high three 3-pointers to move into 10th on DSU's all-time list for most treys made (67).