WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Sophomore Eva Hodgson and junior Gabby Rogers were both in double-figures as the William & Mary women's basketball team survived a lot scare from Norfolk State to pick up a 65-56 victory for its eighth win of the season.
 
Trailing by 16, Norfolk State (6-6) used an 11-0 run to cut the game back to five late in the fourth quarter. Chanette Hicks opened the run with a fast-break lay-up, before Blaire Thomas canned back-to-back 3-pointers. Hicks capped the run with a traditional 3-point play to make it 61-56 with 2:57 left in the game.
 
W&M (8-2) responded with back-to-back lay-ups to seal the win. First, Rogers found Hodgson wide open for a lay-up, before senior Victoria Reynolds kept a miss alive, before laying it in to make it 65-56 with 1:53 left in regulation. The Tribe held the Spartans scoreless for the balance of the contest to earn the win.
 
The Tribe, which led by as many as 16 in the first half, took its lead to as many as 19 points three times in the third quarter. Leading by 14, W&M used a quick 5-0 spurt to take its lead to 19 the first time. Rogers sparked the run with a jumper and Hodgson added a 3-pointer to make it 44-25 with 5:48 left in the third quarter. 
 
W&M Starters - #10 Hodgson, #11 Pollard, #20 Bellamy, #25 Rogers, #30 Reynolds 
 
Norfolk State Starters – #10 James, #11 Franklin, #12 Hicks, #25 Jones, #42 Thomas
 
Individual Leaders
Sophomore Eva Hodgson scored a game-high 19 points in the victory. She added five rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes. Junior Gabby Rogers was the only other Tribe player in double-figures as she just missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds. Senior Victoria Reynolds had nine points and nine rebounds, while redshirt sophomore Sydney Wagner chipped in seven points, three rebounds, and four assists.
 
Channette Hicks scored a team-high 16 points and added six rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Blaire Thomas added 13 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and steal, while La'Deja Thomas finished with 10 points, two assists, a rebound, and four steals.
 
Inside the Numbers 
- W&M shot 40% (24-of-60) from the floor while adding a 35.3% (6-of-11) from 3-point range.
- The Tribe continued its strong shooting from the line shooting 11-of-13 for 84.6%.
- W&M won the rebounding battle 43-35 in the contest and improved to 5-0 when winning the battle of the glass this season.
- Both teams committed 17 turnovers.
 
Notes 
Sophomore Eva Hodgson led the Tribe in scoring for the ninth time this season while turning in her 10th double-digit performance of the year … She has now been in double-figures 11 straight games, dating back to last year and has done it 27 times in her career … Hodgson went 3-of-3 from the line to improve her nation's best free throw percentage to 97.8% … Sophomore Gabby Rogers was in double-figures for the third time this season and eighth time of her Tribe career … Senior Victoria Reynolds scored nine points to cut her chase to 1,000 points down to 79 more … The Tribe improves to 16-8 versus Norfolk State, including an 8-4 mark at home.
 
What's Ahead 
W&M again heads into another extended break this time nine days before playing its non-conference finale on the road. The Tribe travels to George Washington on Sunday, Dec. 29. Tip time is set for 2 p.m.