Box Score
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State women's basketball squad opened Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play Saturday in Tiger Arena with a 62-55 win over Norfolk State in front of 356 fans.

Junior point guard Ezinne Kalu led the team with 21 points against Norfolk State, and leads the team in the season with 103 points (14.7 avg/per game).  Joining Kalu in double digits were junior guard's Andrietta Thomas with 11 and Jasmine Kirkland with 10.

Norfolk State opened the game with a 4-1 run, but the Lady Tigers bounced back quickly to knot the match up at four behind a 3-point play from Kalu, with 17:09 to play in the first half.  

Later in the opening half, with the match tied for the third time, the Lady Spartans jumped out to a six point lead behind six straight good free-throws, garnering a 21-15 lead with 6:21 to play. Norfolk State shot 77.8 percent from the free-throw line in the first half.

The Lady Tigers cut the visitors lead to four points with a layup from Thomas, but the Lady Spartans jumped back out to an eight point lead moments later with a jumper from Norfolk's Aivah Parham. With 2:41 to play, SSU cut the lead to five points, 25-20, behind a jumper from Thomas.

Several turnovers and missed shots resulted in a stalemate in the final couple of minutes. With one second to play, Norfolk's Ashley Dillard sank a buzzer beater for a 27-20 Lady Spartan lead into the locker room.

Norfolk State held their lead in the opening minutes of the second half, as the Lady Tigers continued to battle. The visitors managed a nine point lead with 12:32 left to play behind a pair of good free throws from Kashay Barnes.

An 11-2 run from the Lady Tigers, sparked by a layup from Jasmine Norman, tied the game for the last time at 41 with 8:48 to play.

It was all SSU in the final eight minutes as Kalu capped a 5-0 run with a 3-pointer to give the Lady Tigers a 46-41 lead with 6:46 to play. The Lady Tigers would not relinquish the lead.

The Lady Spartans cut the home team's advantage to two points at the 5:50 mark.  Kalu responded with another 3-pointer for a 49-44 Lady Tiger lead, moments later.

SSU extended that lead to nine points with 38 seconds left on two good free-throws from Kalu.  Parham dropped a jump shot with two seconds to play for the final score.

The Lady Tigers shot at a 21.2 percent from the field in the first half, but fared better in the second 20, shooting at a 42.4 percent clip. SSU outrebounded the Lady Spartans 47-44.

Savannah State improves to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in MEAC play, while Norfolk State falls to 1-5 and 0-1 in the conference. The Lady Tigers return to action Monday, December 3, as MEAC perennial power Hampton University visits Savannah. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Tiger Arena.