Game Notes
NORFOLK, Va. - NSU plays its final game of the 2011 calendar year this Friday, a 2 p.m. matinee tip-off at St. Francis (N.Y.).
The Spartans (8-5) are coming off a thrilling 72-70 win at Toledo on Tuesday, NSU's first-ever win over a MAC opponent. Kyle O'Quinn made a layup after an inbounds pass from Pendarvis Williams for the winning points with 2.4 seconds left. Williams had 17 points and O'Quinn 16 to lead NSU. O'Quinn added nine rebounds and five blocked shots, while Chris McEachin and Quasim Pugh chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
St. Francis is 3-7 on the year after a 76-64 home loss to Albany on Monday night. The Terriers have lost three of four, but the one victory in that stretch was a 73-71 win at MEAC foe Howard. SFC is led by Ben Mockford's 13 points per game.
HOMECOMING
Friday's game gives the eight New York natives on NSU's roster a chance to play in front of their friends and family. Point guards Jamel Fuentes and Quasim Pugh are both Brooklyn natives.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Live Statistics/Video: www.sfcathletics.com
SERIES NOTES
This is the first meeting all-time between the two schools.
RECAPPING TOLEDO
Additional notes from NSU's win over Toledo on Tuesday:
• The Spartans beat a MAC opponent for the first time. NSU had previously lost to Ohio last season and Kent State in 2009-10 in its other two matchups with schools from that conference.
• NSU posted its first true road win of the year. NSU is 5-1 at home and 2-1 in neutral-site games.
• Kyle O'Quinn's winning shot with 2.4 seconds gave the Spartans their second game-winning shot in the final three seconds of a game this season. Brandon Wheeless hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in a 60-58 win over Savannah State on Dec. 3.
• The Spartans shot 55.6 percent from the floor, their second-best effort of the year.
• NSU also placed four players in double figures for just the second time this season.
• Kyle O'Quinn moved into 24th on the all-time scoring list at NSU. He now has 1,219 points, surpassing Peter Mitchell (1,217 from 1970-74).
• The win was NSU's fifth against non-conference Division I teams this year, most in the program's Division I era (since 1997-98).
RESURGENT DEFENSE
Defense has played a key for NSU this season. After allowing 99 points in the opener to Marquette, NSU's next five opponents each shot worse than 40 percent and scored 63 points or less. In the latest NCAA stats report (through Dec. 18), the Spartans rank seventh nationally in 3-point defense, 20th in blocks, and 46th in field goal percentage defense.
That is a stark contrast to last season. 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.
NATIONALLY RANKED
In addition to its team defense, NSU also has two players ranked highly in the latest Division I men's basketball statistics. O'Quinn is tied for first in the nation (through games of Dec. 18) with eight double-doubles. He is also 17th in blocked shots and 23rd in rebounding.
Williams is third in the MEAC and 39th in the nation in free throw percentage.
