NORFOLK — For much of the season, Norfolk State’s offense has shown up in chapters.
Da’Brya Clark had her explosive stretch where she etched her name in the NSU record books. Jasha Clinton has been a steadying presence both as a scorer and as a passer. AJ Richardson found another gear once conference play began.
But on Saturday, it felt like another one of those games where it all came together at once.
Norfolk State (14-12, 9-2 MEAC) rolled past South Carolina State 93-52 at Echols Hall, winning its eighth game in nine outings and delivering the clearest example yet of its pick-your-poison identity.
The Spartans built a 47-23 halftime lead, then put the game away for good with a 19-0 run to open the third quarter, ballooning the score to 66-23. The Bulldogs didn’t score until the 2:39 mark of the period, and the burst capped a staggering 31-3 run that began late in the second.
The surge was rooted in what head coach Jermaine Woods calls the program’s staple.
“Definitely proud of our effort, especially defensively,” Woods said. “That’s our staple: our defense.”
Norfolk State forced 25 turnovers, 17 of them steals, and turned pressure into pace. The Spartans entered the day ranked 10th nationally in steals at 12.7 per game. On Saturday, they exceeded that mark with ease.
Woods tracks defensive runs with what he calls “turkeys” — three consecutive stops. The Spartans had 10 of those, Woods said.
“Our goal is seven,” Woods said. “If you get seven, you’ve got a 95 percent chance of winning. We had 10. So we know we’re going to win.”
Offensively, the numbers were just as telling.
Richardson led with 17 points and six assists. Cire Worley posted 15 points and 11 rebounds. Clark added 15 points. Clinton finished with 13 points and eight assists. The Spartans assisted on 22 of 34 made field goals and knocked down 12 3-pointers, while the bench contributed 30 points.
Still, Woods insists they haven’t peaked.
“We’re really good,” he said. “But we’re going to be even better once we figure it out.”
He wants more paint touches, more inside-out balance, and believes the ceiling rises once the forwards consistently impact the scoring column.
Richardson agreed that the offense is still evolving.
“I feel like once we fully click on offense, it’s going to be scary,” she said. “Defensively, we’re already good. Once we get that together, I feel like no one can stop us.”
Even so, the Spartans came into the day with three players ranked among the MEAC’s top 10 scorers. Clark entered second (14.8 ppg), Clinton third (13.4) and Richardson 10th (10.5). But on Saturday, none of them needed to individually dominate.
That might be the most important development of all. The Spartans aren’t dangerous because of one hot hand. They’re dangerous because the offense can come in waves, as evidenced by back-to-back wins of 32 and 42 points. And most of all, the Spartans look like a group peaking at the right time.
Norfolk State is back on the road Thursday at Morgan State, with first place in the MEAC still firmly in view.