RAMS START STRONG, CRUISE PAST NORFOLK STATE, 71-49
11-29-06
Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Junior forward Krystal Vaughn (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton-Eastern) had a game-high 23 points and Virginia Commonwealth University scored the first 15 points of the contest on the way to a 71-49 victory over Norfolk State Wednesday at Echols Hall.

VCU extends its school record best start to 6-0. Norfolk State slips to 0-6. It is the Rams’ second consecutive win in the series and their fourth victory in the last five meetings between the two schools.

Vaughn hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor and was 7-of-8 at the free throw line. She added six rebounds. It is her third 20-point performance this season. Senior guard Michele Cosel (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) added a season-high 15 points for VCU, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range to move into sixth place on the Rams’ career list with 83. Sophomore Quanitra Hollingsworth (Chesapeake, Va./ Great Bridge) kicked in nine points and 10 rebounds in 14 minutes of play.

The Black and Gold opened the game with a 15-0 flurry, getting eight points from Cosel and four more from Vaughn. The Spartans didn’t find the scoreboard until Tiffany Jenkins knocked down a 3-pointer with 15:04 showing on the clock. VCU never looked back, leading by as many as 21 points, at 30-9 with 3:42 left, and took a 33-19 lead into the locker room.

The Rams forced 21 Norfolk State turnovers and limited the Spartans to 29-percent (19-of-65) shooting in the game.

Ashley Green had 11 points, while Toia Johnson added nine to pace Norfolk State.

VCU returns to the court Dec. 3 when it opens its Colonial Athletic Association season at James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.