Norfolk State Men's Basketball
Saturday, Jan. 17; 6 p.m.
NSU vs. North Carolina Central, Joseph Echols Hall
Radio: Star 1310 AM (Tape Delayed) | Hot 91.1 FM, Live Audio
Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. - Back at home for the first time in nearly a month, the Norfolk State men's basketball team will face defending MEAC champion North Carolina Central for a big showdown this weekend. NSU and NCCU both sit at 4-0 in the MEAC along with Hampton in a three-way tie for first place.

Game time is at 6 p.m. this Saturday between the Spartans (11-8) and Eagles (12-5) at Joseph Echols Hall. NCCU also plays at Hampton on Monday in what could very well turn out to be a separation weekend at the top of the standings.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Hot 91.1 FM and tape delayed on Star 1310 AM with Ross Gordon and Terrell Ducre' on the call. Live audio is available through the Star 1310 website as well as through the Hot 91.1 website. Both feeds are available on smartphones through the Star 1310 website or through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB") for Hot 91.1.

Fans can also follow along with the live stats and the live video feed. The live video feed also carries the radio broadcast.

Series History
NCCU won both meetings last year, including in the semifinals of the MEAC tournament, and has won three in a row over the Spartans. NSU, though, still owns a 27-10 edge in the all-time series that began in 1963-64. Most of the games between the two teams came when the schools were rivals in the Division II CIAA in the 1970's, 80's and 90's.

About North Carolina Central
The Eagles have won six in a row to improve to 12-5 overall. They swept South Carolina State and Savannah State last weekend by a combined 49 points after defeating UMES and Howard in early December to kick-off conference play. Thanks to three big wins over non-D-I schools, the Eagles are averaging almost 70 points a game while giving up close to 55. They force 15.5 turnovers per game while giving the ball up just 13.0 times. NCCU ranks first in the MEAC in shooting percentage at 47.8 percent while also hitting 34.3 percent from 3-point range and averaging slightly better than six treys per game. Defense has been its calling card, though, as the Eagles have held teams to just 35.3 percent shooting, including 27.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Last Time Out
D'Shon Taylor broke out of a slump with a career-high 25 points in leading NSU to a 79-55 win over Bethune-Cookman on Monday night at Moore Gymnasium. He scored 19 second-half points, including 11 during a 19-2 run that broke the game open. He hit 5-of-10 from 3-point range, while Jeff Short added 18 points on 6-of-11 overall shooting. RaShid Gaston added 17 points on 7-of-10 shots with nine rebounds and four assists. B-CU was held to just 19-of-54 shooting (35.2 percent). The Spartans had just eight turnovers and were dead-even in rebounding with the Wildcats, 35-35.

Player Tidbits
Jeff Short
 • 23.1 points, 56.3 percent shooting, 47.9 percent 3-point shooting, 83.7 free throw shooting last eight games; Has led the team in scoring six of those eight games
 • Also averaging 22.2 points (56.2 % shooting, 46.7 % 3-pointer, 81.3 % free throws) last 11 games and 21.4 points (54.8 %, 44.9 %, 81.7 %) last 14 games
 • Has scored at least 15 points in 14 straight games
 • 10th 20-point game of season with 21 at Florida A&M; Eight 20-point games in last 11 contests
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in scoring (19.6) and 3-point field goal percentage (43.4), 2nd in 3-point field goals (2.4), 5th in free throw % (84.6) and field goal % (50.6) and 7th in minutes (33.4)
 • Stands 21st in the nation in scoring (19.6); Also ranks in total points (4, 373), total field goals (4, 125), free throw percentage (60, 84.6), field goal percentage (82, 50.6), 3-point field goals per game (108, 2.42) and minutes (166, 33:25)

RaShid Gaston
 • 21.5 points on 18-of-23 field goals with 12.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists last two games
 • 10 straight games with 10+ rebounds, the most in the NSU Division I era, from Nov. 28-Dec. 30; 12 10+ rebound games in last 14 contests
 • Recorded 10th double-double of season with 26 points and 16 boards at Florida A&M; Career high in rebounds and second-most points in a game in his career
 • Most rebounds by an NSU player since Kyle O'Quinn had 16 on Feb. 20, 2012
 • One of 18 players in the nation averaging a double-double on the year
 • Tied career high with four assists at B-CU
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in rebounds (10.1), offensive rebounds (3.3) and defensive rebounds (6.8), 3rd in field goal % (60.5), 7th in scoring (14.8) and 9th in blocks (1.1)
 • Stands 6th in the nation in double-doubles (10); Also ranks in total rebounds (10, 171), field goal % (11, 60.5), rebounding (17, 10.1), defensive rebounds (21, 6.76), offensive rebounds (37, 3.29), scoring (213, 14.8) and blocks (242, 1.12)
 • Ranks 33rd in NCAA Division I in career field goal percentage (.556) and 38th in double-doubles (15) rebound average (7.3)
 • Stands 9th in NSU records with a .556 career shooting percentage

Jamel Fuentes
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in assists (4.7) and assist-turnover ratio (2.0)
 • Stands 71st in the nation in assists (4.7) and 120th in assist-turnover ratio (2.00)
 • Ranks 13th in NCAA Division I in career assists (498), 15th in assist-turnover ratio (1.92), 37th in games played (118) and 46th in assist average (4.22)
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in assists with 498 and 1st among D-I players; Needs five more to move into second place
 • Stands seventh in games played (118) at NSU and 14th in career steals (134); Needs two more to move into 11th place

D'Shon Taylor
 • 45.1 percent on field goals, 46.4 percent on 3-pointers last 11 games
 • Career-high 25 points at B-CU; Tied career high with five 3-pointers
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (41.8), 12th in scoring (12.7) and 3-point field goals (1.7) and 15th in field goal % (43.2)
 • MEAC Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 5 after tallying 13 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and 19 points in games against Baylor and Georgia

Malik Thomas
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in defensive rebounds (4.7) and blocks (0.9), 17th in rebounding (5.2) and 26th in scoring (9.8)
 • Career-high five blocks at B-CU

Jordan Butler
 • 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last four games; 4.8 boards and 1.7 blocks last six contests
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in blocks (1.2) and 203rd in the nation (1.21)

Malik Gray
 • Averaging 4.0 points last four games

Zaynah Robinson
 • Has totaled nine points and seven assists last four games

Devonte Banner
 • Seven total points last two games

MEAC Standings
Four games into conference season, and NSU is one of three teams that has yet to suffer a loss. The Spartans are joined at the top of the standings by North Carolina Central and Hampton, both of whom are also 4-0 this year in the MEAC. South Carolina State (3-1) and UMES (2-1) are the only other schools above .500 in MEAC play so far.

Winning Big in the MEAC
NSU defeated its first four MEAC opponents this season by at least 19 points, the first time ever the Spartans won even three straight MEAC games by that point spread, much less four. The current streak of four straight double-digit conference victories is a first for the NSU program since Jan. 4-13, 1996, during its Division II days.

The Spartans last won four straight conference games by at least 19 points between Dec. 18, 1993 and Jan. 15, 1994, when they defeated five straight CIAA foes by that spread.

The Spartans have averaged 81.8 points in MEAC games so far this year while shooting 55.3 percent overall and 45.8 percent from 3-point range. NSU has outrebounded those four schools by an average of 11.3 board per contest while also holding them to 34.6 percent shooting and 22.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Nice MEAC Start
The 24-point win over Florida A&M on Jan. 10 was the biggest victory over the Rattlers in seven games. The 24-point triumph over Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 12 was the largest ever in 29 all-time meetings with the Wildcats. It marked the first time ever in the Division I era the program has recorded back-to-back wins by at least 24 points. NSU last won two straight games by that margin on Dec. 29, 1996 and Jan. 4, 1997, when the Spartans defeated Bridgeport and West Virginia Wesleyan by 25 points each.

Meanwhile, the 20-point win over Morgan State on Dec. 6 ranks as the biggest victory against the Bears since an 81-53 triumph on Jan. 16, 2006, a span of 17 games. The 19-point victory against Coppin State on Dec. 8 was the largest since the first-ever meeting, a 77-56 win on Nov. 29, 1982, a span of 34 games.

The Spartans also scored the most points in a regulation contest against Morgan State in 29 games and the most against Coppin State in a regulation game in 32 contests.

Best in the Conference
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU is 44-8 in regular season conference play, tied with North Carolina Central for the best record during that time. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 49-10, while the Eagles are 48-10 during that time.

Good Defense
Florida A&M scored just 13 points and shot 15.4 percent from the floor in the first half of its game against Norfolk State on Jan. 10. It is believed to be the worst a Spartan opponent has shot in a half in the Division I era. It is also the second-fewest points scored by an opponent during that time. Randolph had 12 points in the first half on Nov. 16, 2011, and Coppin State scored 12 in the first half on Jan. 11, 2003.

Block Party
The Spartans had 10 blocks against Princeton on Jan. 6, the most since tallying 10 against Navy on Jan. 5, 2013. Over the last seven contests, the Spartans are averaging 7.6 blocks per game and have outblocked the opposition by a collective 53-22 margin.

Winning the Rebounding Battle
The Spartans have had the rebounding edge or been even on the glass in 16 of the 19 games this year. NSU outrebounded 11 straight teams from Nov. 22-Dec. 22 and has been even or ahead in the rebounding column in 15 of the last 16 contests. Dating back to last season, it also includes 27 of the last 31 opponents. NSU was a collective +97 in rebounding margin during that 11-game stretch this year, including a +20 effort against U.Va.-Wise. It marked the largest margin for the Spartans since outrebounding Coppin State by 23 on Feb. 2, 2013. On the season, the Spartans have a +5.4 rebounding margin.

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank No. 1 in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (35.8), rebounding margin (+5.4) and defensive rebound percentage (71.6). They also stand second in scoring margin (+3.8), field goal percentage (45.6), blocks (5.0), assists (13.2), assist-turnover ratio (1.0) and defensive rebounds (26.0), as well as third in scoring offense (69.2), offensive rebound percentage (34.3) and 3-point field goals per game (6.3).

NSU is one of two teams in the MEAC with four players in the top 30 in scoring.

On Fire
The Spartans have shot at least 44 percent in 11 of the last 14 contests. NSU's current 45.6 percent clip from the field is a little less than last year's 46.5 shooting percentage, the best since the Spartans connected on 48.1 percent of their shots in 1998-99. The team's current 35.8 percent 3-point shooting is also the best mark since the 1992-93 season, when NSU hit 40.4 percent from long range.

So far this season, the Spartans are 10-1 when they outshoot their opponents from the floor, with the only loss coming in the game at Princeton on Jan. 6. NSU is 10-0 this year when outshooting teams from 3-point range.

Get to 20
RaShid Gaston (26) and Jeff Short (21) both reached the 20-point plateau at Florida A&M, the fifth time this season NSU teammates have reached 20 points in a game.

NSU had a 20-point scorer in 10 straight games from Nov. 28-Dec. 30 and in 15 contests overall this year for a total of 20 20-point games.

Limit Those Turnovers
For the fourth time this season, NSU had less than 10 turnovers when the Spartans committed just eight against Bethune-Cookman. They had eight against Georgia and nine each against Texas Southern and U.Va-Wise earlier this year as well. Last season, the Spartans had eight games with single-digit turnovers on the way to averaging a Division I record-low 13.4 per game for the season.

NSU is currently averaging 13.7 giveaways per contest this season. The school record for fewest turnovers per game was set in 1987-88 at 13.1. Including last year, only four times since 1978-79, when the stat was first kept, has NSU had less than 14 turnovers per game.

Balanced Scoring?
NSU has four players averaging better than nine points per game, including leading scorer Jeff Short (19.6) as well as RaShid Gaston (14.8), D'Shon Taylor (12.7) and Malik Thomas (9.8). After those four, though, the next highest scorer is Malik Gray at 2.8 points. Six players have tallied between 1.9 and 2.8 points per contest. A year after losing nearly 80 percent of its scoring from its senior class, NSU is now getting 79.3 percent of its scoring (1042-of-1314 points) from just four players.

Specialty Stats
NSU has outscored the other team by an average of 7.0 more points in the paint (30.7-23.7). On the year, NSU has outscored or been even against 16 of its 19 opponents in points in the paint, including 11 straight from Nov. 22-Dec. 22. The Spartans have attempted 93 more shots from inside the 3-point line than opponents on the season.

On the other side, in 13 of NSU's 19 games this year, opponents have made the same amount or more 3-pointers thanks to 87 more attempts on the season.

Doubling Up
The Spartans had 12 double-double performances in a 12-game stretch from Nov. 19-Dec. 22, including five straight from RaShid Gaston from Nov. 28-Dec. 8. NSU has had 14 double-doubles overall this year, including 10 from the junior forward.

Nationally Ranked
The Spartans rank 45th in the nation in blocks (5.0) as well as in the top 150 in total rebounds (8, 709), rebound margin (48, +5.4), defensive rebounds (63, 26.00), total rebounds per game (75, 37.32), field goal percentage (80, 45.6), field goal percentage defense (95, 40.6), 3-point field goal percentage (106, 35.8), assists (139, 13.2), offensive rebounds (142, 11.32), scoring margin (143, +3.8), won-loss percentage (147, 57.9) and scoring offense (148, 69.2).

Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 166 straight games, dating back to a contest at South Carolina State on Jan. 25, 2010, when NSU finished 0-of-17 from 3-point range.

NSU finished with 11 treys against Bethune-Cookman and Coppin State this year, tied for the fifth-most ever in a game in school history.