MEAC Opener
BALTIMORE, Md. - The first MEAC game of the season has the Norfolk State men's basketball team on the road, as a Monday matchup at Coppin State will mark the only contest this week for the Spartans. NSU will take on the Eagles at 7:30 p.m. at the Physical Education Complex in Baltimore.
Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Star 1310 AM as well as Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon on the call. Live audio is available through
www.star1310.com as well as
hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128. 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 at
http://hbculivestats.com/coppin/mbball/xlive.htm.
Series History
The two teams will compete against each other for the 37th time since the very first meeting in 1982-83. NSU is riding a six-game win streak in the series, and the Spartans have also won 12 of the last 14 to gain a 25-11 edge in the all-time series.
About Coppin State
The Eagles are coming off an overtime loss against Hampton at home on Saturday, 74-71, in both teams' MEAC openers. That dropped Coppin State to 2-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play, with both wins coming against non-Division I opponents. Five players average in double figures for Coppin State, including leading scorer Terry Harris Jr. at 13.1 and Christian Kessee at 12.1 points. Harris also tallies a team-best 9.1 rebounds, with James Sylvester (10.9 points, 5.1 rebounds), Joshua Treadwell (10.4) and Keith Shivers (10.1) also chipping in. The Eagles average 77.0 points per game but have shot just 39.1 percent overall and 27.2 percent from 3-point range. They also commit exactly 15.0 turnovers per contest while allowing teams to score 84 points each game.
Last Time Out
The Spartans never led by more than nine late in the game and were down by 11 in the first half in an eventual 71-65 win over Mercy College on Wednesday evening at Joseph Echols Hall. NSU got a big game out of
Jeff Short, who tallied 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting to go with seven rebounds. The Mavericks had 24 more field goal attempts on the night but shot just 23-of-70 overall, with NSU hitting 23-of-46 for an even 50 percent, its best percentage of the season. The Spartans had 20 turnovers which led to a 22-11 advantage for Mercy College in points off turnovers. Eight of those came via offensive foul calls. NSU hit 21-of-32 from the foul line for the game, with sophomore
Zaynah Robinson serving as the team's second-leading scorer with nine points.
Player Tidbits
D'Shon Taylor
 • Averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last 4 games while shooting 27-of-48 overall and 12-of-22 from 3-point range
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in field goal % (50.0), 8th in offensive rebounds (2.3) and scoring (15.6), 9th in 3-point field goal % (44.8) and rebounding (6.7), 12th in 3-point field goals (1.9), 14th in defensive rebounds (4.4) and 15th in free throw % (80.0); Also sits 221st in the nation in free throw % (80.0) and 227th in points per game (15.6)
 • Career-high 31 points at Northern Arizona and tied career best with 5-of-8 3-point shooting; 7th career 20-point scoring game and 1st 30-point game
Jeff Short
 • Averaging 20.5 points and 2.5 assists last 4 games and shooting 27-of-55 overall and 10-of-17 from 3-point range
 • Needs 45 points to reach 1,000 for his career (combined NSU and Fordham)
 • 17th career 20-point game with 28 against Mercy College
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (50.0), 4th in scoring (17.9), 11th in free throw % (82.9) and 12th in 3-point field goals (1.9); Sits 95th in the nation in points per game (17.9) and 151st in free throw % (82.9)
 • Stands 69th in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (12.6) and 152nd in points (955)
 • Ranks 6th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal percentage (.408), 16th in 3-point field goals (82) and 17th in 3-point field goal attempts (201)
Charles Oliver
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.4), 6th in 3-point field goal % (47.2) and 10th in field goal % (48.1); Sits 157th in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (2.43)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.8), 7th in steals (1.3), 8th in assists (3.3) and 14th in 3-point field goal % (38.9); Also sits 31st in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.83)
 • Tied career high with 5 assists vs. Mercy College
Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (2.6), 9th in offensive rebounds (2.1) and rebounding (6.7) and 12th in defensive rebounds (4.6); Also stands 23rd in the nation in blocks (2.57)
Good Shootin'
Over the last three games, NSU is 34-of-74 (45.9 percent) from 3-point land. So far this year, NSU is hitting 41.1 percent with 53 total treys, a year after making 190 for the second-most ever in a season in the Spartans' history. The Spartans are also shooting better from 3-point range (41.1) than from inside the arc (40.1 percent, 107-of-267). NSU's current 41.1 clip from long range ranks 19th in the nation, and its average of 7.6 made 3-pointers per game stands 113th.
Better in the 2nd
NSU has scored more points in the second half than the first in all seven games this season. On the year, the Spartans are are shooting 43.8 percent overall in the second half but just 36.9 percent in the first half, including 50.0 from 3-point range in the second but 31.1 in the first. The Spartans are thus averaging 40.0 points after halftime but just 31.1 before the intermission. NSU also has a +1.9 rebounding margin in the second half but a -2.3 margin in the first.
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans continue to lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage (41.1) and 3-pointers per game (7.6) while also ranking second in field goal percentage defense (40.7) and free throw percentage (73.1) and third in blocks (4.0).
Limit Those Giveaways
NSU had been in single digits in turnovers in games against DePaul and Northern Arizona (15 total), and the Spartans on the season are averaging 13.4 per game. The school record for fewest giveaways per game is 13.1 set in 1987-88.
So Far So Good
NSU, which ranked 282nd in the nation last year in free throw percentage, has improved its mark from 65.9 to 73.1 percent this season, good for 67th in the nation. The Spartans are attempting to hit better than 70 percent this year for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 188 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.
Ahead at the Half
The Spartans are 70-11 (86.4 winning percentage) since the start of the 2011-12 season when leading or tied at the half.
