Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. - NSU hosts defending Northeast Conference champion Long Island this Wednesday night in the Spartans' final home game before the New Year. Tip off is at 7 p.m. at Echols Hall.

The Spartans dropped to 6-4 overall with a 73-60 loss at Virginia Tech on Sunday in the first-ever matchup between the schools. Chris McEachin led the way for NSU with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Pendarvis Williams and Kyle O'Quinn added 14 points apiece.

LIU stands at 5-5 on the year and had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 63-53 loss at Columbia on Saturday. The Blackbirds got 18 points from leading scorer Jamal Olasewere in defeat.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Radio: WNSB Hot 91.1 FM (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Joe Cook)
Live Statistics: www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/mbball
Live Video Stream: www.nsuspartans.com/showcase

SERIES NOTES
LIU leads the series with NSU, 2-0. The Blackbirds beat NSU 87-64 in the season-opener for both teams on Nov. 12, 2010, in Brooklyn. The only other meeting came in the consolation game of the Saturn of North Charleston Shootout (S.C.) on Dec. 30, 2003. LIU won that one, 72-68.

TRANSFERS BOLSTER ROSTER
NSU's roster will have as many as seven junior college or Division I transfers this season, giving the Spartans a veteran, deep squad. Starters Chris McEachin (two years at Radford), Rodney McCauley (one year at Southern Miss, one at Ranger junior college) and Marcos Tamares (two years at UMBC) all had prior D-I experience before coming to NSU.

St. Joe's transfer #A.J. Rogers# also joins the Spartans this year and should give NSU depth in the frontcourt. After the completion of the first semester, NSU will have the services of Marist transfer Rob Johnson, who is fulfilling his one-year NCAA residency requirement. In addition, South Plains College transfer guard Winston Graham and Monroe Community College transfer Quasim Pugh should also be eligible following completion of academic requirements. Pugh got his college start at the College of Charleston. All three are expected to play against Long Island.

RESURGENT DEFENSE
Defense has played a key for NSU this season. After allowing 99 points in the opener to Marquette, NSU's next fi ve opponents each shot worse than 40 percent and scored 63 points or less. In the latest NCAA stats report (through Dec. 11), the Spartans rank 17th nationally in 3-point defense (25.7%), 23rd in blocks (5.9), and 67th in field goal percentage defense (39.4). That is a stark contrast to last season. In NSU's 20 losses in 2010-11, the Spartans gave up an average of 80.6 points per game, 47 percent fi eld goal shooting, and 42 percent 3-point shooting. In all during the 2010-11 campaign, the Spartans ranked 305th in the nation out of 336 in scoring defense (74.7 ppg) and 276th in 3-point percentage defense (36.4). NSU was 10th out of 11 in the MEAC in scoring defense, and last in MEAC-only games.

N.Y. STATE OF MIND
NSU's eight New York natives will get to play two teams from their home state this season, starting Wednesday against LIU. The Spartans also play at St. Francis in Brooklyn on Dec. 23, giving the N.Y. natives a chance to play in front of their family and friends.