NORFOLK, Va. - Another slow start hampered Bethune-Cookman Saturday as Norfolk State downed the Lady Wildcats 67-40 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game in Echols Hall.

The Lady Wildcats (12-14 overall,7-7 MEAC) missed their first eight shots and were down 15-1 before Chastity Rene Taylor hit a jumper with 12:38 remaining.

Aivah Parham scored 21 points to lead four Lady Spartans (6-19,4-10) in double figures as they shot 61.2 percent (30-49) from the field and forced 22 B-CU turnovers.

"We had a tough time scoring, just couldn't put the ball in the basket," said B-CU coach Vanessa Blair, whose team connected on just 23.8 percent (15-63) of its attempts. " You have to give it to Norfolk for shooting the ball extremely well. We were totally out of sync."

Taylor, who led B-CU with 19 points and Shakeyia Colyer (11 points, six rebounds) helped the Lady Wildcats get as close as 35-27 with 16:43 left to play.

Norfolk State pulled away from a 41-32 advantage as B-CU managed just eight points in the final 12 minutes.

B-CU faces MEAC leader Hampton Monday evening.