NCAA.com Team of the Week, Norfolk State earned its second Southeastern Conference upset win of the season, taking down Auburn 63-57 on the road Sunday afternoon.
Graduate guard Diamond Johnson led the Spartans with 17 points, adding 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists to her totals. Sophomore guard Da’Brya Clark also scored in double figures for Norfolk State with 15 points. A transfer from NC State, Johnson posted her fifth career double-double against Auburn, becoming the first player to lead Norfolk State in points, rebounds, steals, and assists in a game since Chanette Hicks on Jan. 11, 2020.
Sunday’s game against Auburn featured four ties and two lead changes. Leading 48-35 after three periods, Norfolk State junior forward Ciara Bailey scored a layup behind an assist from Anjanae Richardson to begin the fourth quarter. Makoye Diawara extended the advantage to 17 points with 6:57 left to play in the game, but Auburn battled back with an 8-0 run to force a Spartans’ timeout. Clark halted the Tigers’ momentum following the timeout with a pair of fastbreak free throws. Then, Da’naijah Williams grabbed a crucial offensive rebound and drained the putback layup with 2:21 remaining in the game. Norfolk State secured the win as graduate guard Niya Fields connected on a late 3-pointer and Diawara put the game away with a layup, giving Norfolk State the upset victory. The win snapped Auburn’s eight-game home winning streak, with the Tigers falling to 9-4 with the loss.
Norfolk State improved to 12-4 with the win. Earlier in the season, the Spartans scored a 57-54 SEC win at Missouri.
The Spartans finished the month of December with a 5-1 record and return to play on Jan. 4, opening Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play at home against Maryland Eastern Shore.
