Game Notes
NORFOLK, Va. - The Spartans (7-15, 5-5 MEAC) have the tough task of attempting to end their two-game losing streak and move back over .500 in conference play when they face first-place Hampton (18-5, 8-2) in the Battle of the Bay this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Echols Hall.
The Spartans are coming off a four-game road swing that ended in losses to UMES (88-84) and Delaware State (91-83) within the last week. The Pirates, meanwhile, have won three games in a row and sit alone atop the MEAC standings after Bethune-Cookman (7-3 in the MEAC) lost on Monday.
Members of the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame will be recognized during halftime of Satuday's game.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Radio: WNSB 91.1 FM (Play-by-Play: Chris Park; Color: Ross Gordon)
Live Audio Stream: http://mmedia.nsu.edu:8089/wnsb
Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/mbball
Video Stream: www.nsuspartans.com/showcase (requires subscription)
SERIES NOTES
NSU leads the all-time series with Hampton, 77-39. The Pirates prevailed, 63-56, in the team's previous meting this year on Jan. 15 at HU. That broke a four-game regular-season series win streak for NSU. The Pirates' last win at Echols Hall came on Feb. 2, 2008.
LAST MEETING
In the two teams' last meeting, Hampton's Kwame Morgan scored a game-high 20 points and the host Pirates held on late for a 63-56 win over NSU on Jan. 15. Darrion Pellum added 16 for HU. O'Quinn led NSU with 19 points and seven rebounds.
Each time the Spartans got close to seizing momentum, the Pirates had the answer. The Spartans were finally able to tie the game at 54-all when O'Quinn made 1-of-2 from the line with 2:06 left in the game. But Brandon Tunnell gave HU the lead once again on a foul shot with 1:28 left. After Aleek Pauline missed a layup, Chris Tolson hit two more free throws with 1:17 remaining to stretch the lead to three, 57-54.
Pellum's two free throws made it 59-54, but NSU was able to cut its deficit back to three on Zephyr's tip-in with 27 seconds left.
The Pirates, though, were able to beat NSU's full-court press, and Pellum scored on a transition layup to make it 61-56. Tolson made two more free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win. NSU limited HU to 34 percent shooting, but the Spartans committed 18 turnovers and missed 15 of their 16 3-point attempts.
DSU TIP-INS
Some additional notes from NSU's loss at Delaware State on Monday:
• DSU made 13 3-pointers, matching Ohio's output against NSU on Dec. 30 as the most by a Spartan
opponent this year.
• Kyle O'Quinn registered his 11th double-double of the season and fi fth in his last six games with 21
points and 14 rebounds. It was the 21st double-double of O'Quinn's career and his 30th time grabbing
at least 10 rebounds.
• For the second straight game, O'Quinn had to overcome a slow start. He had just two points and two
rebounds at halftime, then had 19 and 12 in the second half.
• Chris McEachin, the team's third-leading scorer at 10.4 points per game, did not play for the second
straight game due to a concussion he suffered at Coppin State on Jan. 31.
• #The Spartans lost despite making a season-high 57 percent (32-of-56) from the floor.
• Freshman Pendarvis Williams had season highs in points (18) and 3-pointers made (four).
• Brandon Wheeless had 13 points, his first time scoring in double figures since his 16-point night at
N.C. A&T on Dec. 4.
• NSU dropped to 0-9 in games in which its opponent shoots at least 50 percent, and 0-12 in games it has trailed at halftime.
STREAKY SPARTANS
The 2010-11 season has had its share of ups and downs for NSU. The Spartans matched the school record set by last year's team by losing 11 straight games. The Spartans then bounced back a short time later and won fi ve straight, matching the longest win streak in the school's Division I history. Now, the Spartans have lost their last two.
Defense has played a key role in each streak. In NSU's earlier 11-game loss, the Spartans allowed an average of 80.8 points per game while allowing their opponents to shoot 49 percent from the floor. In NSU's five-game win streak, the Spartans yielded 73.4 points (inflated by a 108-point night by Coppin State in NSU's double-OT win) and 40 percent shooting. NSU has now surrendered an average of 89.5 points per game in its last two outings vs. UMES and DSU. Those two teams combined to shoot 54 percent from the floor against the NSU defense.
O'QUINN AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Junior center Kyle O'Quinn reached double figures in rebounds in fi ve of his last six games and now ranks 14th in the nation this year in that department. He has been ranked as high as seventh this year. His 10.5 average also ranks second in the MEAC behind the 10.9 average of N.C. A&T's Thomas Coleman.
O'Quinn also ranks 12th nationally with 3.0 blocks per game, good for second in the conference. His 11 double-doubles are second-most in the MEAC.
