NSU Men's BasketballDURHAM, N.C.- After the comfort of three straight home games, the Norfolk State men's basketball team will face North Carolina Central, the preseason No. 1 pick in the MEAC, on the road this Saturday. Tip-off from NCCU's McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium will be at 4 p.m., or approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.
Media CoverageThe 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 NCCU's
live stats and
live video feed.
Series HistoryThe Eagles have won the last four meetings with NSU dating back five years, although the two teams did not play in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. NSU's last victory came at home on Jan. 22, 2011, a 74-71 decision in the Eagles' transition year into the MEAC. The series dates back to 1963-64, and the teams met regularly from the late 1970's through the 1990's when both programs were in the Division II CIAA. Thanks to winning the first 16 meetings, the Spartans now hold a 27-11 edge in the all-time series with NCCU.
About North Carolina CentralA year after going undefeated in league play, the Eagles stand 2-2 in the MEAC after a home loss against Howard and most recently a setback on the road at South Carolina State. They also own a 7-11 overall record this season, scoring and holding teams to around 69 points per game. Patrick Cole leads the way with 17.4 points after becoming eligible following the fall semester, with Dante Holmes (12.9 points) and Jeremiah Ingram (11.0 points, 6.7 rebounds) also reaching double figures. Dajuan Graf tallies 9.3 points and a team-best 4.5 assists for an offense that shoots better than 42 percent overall but less than 33 percent from 3-point range. The Eagles have been one of the better rebounding teams in the league (+2.4 rebounding margin), but they block less than two shots and turn the ball over close to 15 times per game.
Last Time OutLed by 23-point efforts from Mario Moody and Jordan Potts, Bethune-Cookman knocked off NSU on Monday, 72-70, at Joseph Echols Hall. The Wildcats hit 8 3-pointers and held the Spartans to just 18-of-45 shooting (40.0 percent). NSU offset that with a season-high 29-of-36 effort from the free throw line. B-CU led by three at the break and never trailed in the second half, hitting 13-of-26 from the floor and 24-of-53 (45.3 percent) overall for the game.
Jeff Short hit 9-of-9 from the free throw line and finished with 19 points for the Spartans.
D'Shon Taylor and
Alex Long each added 13, with Long tallying a career high for the second straight game.
MEAC StandingsHampton currently leads the MEAC at 4-0 as the last undefeated team left in the league. South Carolina State sits in second at 3-1, while NSU is one of three schools at 2-1 along with Howard and Bethune-Cookman. The Spartans have finished no worse than tied for third each of the last four years as well as fourth or better in eight of the last nine seasons.
Best in the ConferenceSince the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU is 54-13 in regular season conference play (26-8 at home, 28-5 on the road), second in the MEAC over that period of time behind North Carolina Central (58-10). Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 60-16, while the Eagles are 63-13 during that time.
Player TidbitsJeff Short• Needs 53 points to reach 1,000 for his NSU career; Attempting to become 35th all-time 1,000-point scorer at NSU and the seventh to do so in two years (Ralph Tally, David Pope, James Grant, Damian Woolfolk, Corey Williams, Marcus Whitfield)
 • Reached the 1,000-point plateau (combined NSU and Fordham) with his 22-point outing at Evansville
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in scoring (16.6), 5th in free throw % (84.0), 6th in 3-point field goal % (39.6), 9th in 3-point field goals (2.0) and 15th in defensive rebounds (3.8); Sits 87th in the nation in free throw % (84.0) and 149th in points per game (16.6)
 • Stands 78th in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.0) and 127th in points (1,129)
 • Ranks 8th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal percentage (.395), 12th in 3-point field goals (105) and 15th in 3-point field goal attempts (266)
 • Averaging 3.0 assists last 8 games and 5.1 rebounds last 7 games
 • Has scored in double figures in eight straight games
D'Shon Taylor • Averaging 14.7 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 17-of-33 overall last 3 games
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in free throw % (79.3) and 3-point field goal % (37.5), 11th in field goal % (45.5), 17th in scoring (12.2) and 19th in rebounding (5.1); Also sits 211th in the nation in free throw % (79.3)
 • Ranks 14th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal % (.60) and 18th in 3-point field goals (71) and 3-point field goal attempts (197)
Charles Oliver • 50-of-57 (87.7 %) in free throws over the last 13 games
 • Career-high 4 assists vs. Bethune-Cookman
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in free throw % (83.1), 13th in 3-point field goals (1.6) and 20th in scoring (11.8); Sits 106th in the nation in free throw % (83.1)
Zaynah Robinson • 37-5 assist-turnover ratio last 15 games
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (40.4), 6th in steals (1.4) and 12th in assists (2.7); Stands 213th in the nation in steals per game (1.44)
Jordan Butler • Averaging 7.0 points and 8.0 rebounds last 7 games
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in blocks (2.2), 6th in defensive rebounds (4.7), 7th in rebounds (6.9) and 10th in offensive rebounds (2.2); Also stands 37th in the nation in blocks (2.17), 205th in rebounds (6.9), 237th in defensive rebounds (4.72) and 250th in offensive rebounds (2.22)
 • Ranks 13th in NSU career records in blocks (75)
Preston Bungei • 20-of-24 from the free throw line last 11 games
 • Ranks 11th in the MEAC in blocks (0.9)
Alex Long • Averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds last 2 games while shooting 9-of-11 overall; 1st 2 career 10-point games
Good from the LineNSU, which ranked 282nd in the nation last year in free throw percentage, has improved its mark from 65.9 to 77.4 percent this season, which currently ranks third in the nation. The Spartans are attempting to hit better than 70 percent this year for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The school record stands at 72.3 set in 1968-69. NSU has now hit 186-of-231 (80.5 percent) over the last 11 games. In addition, the Spartans have shot 83-of-100 (83.0 percent) in the last five minutes of its games this year.
Good Shootin'So far this year, Norfolk State is hitting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc with 126 total treys, a year after making 190 for the second-most ever in a season in program history. NSU's current clip from long range ranks 87th in the nation. The school's Division I record stands at 35.7 percent set in 1998-99.
Better in the 2ndNSU has scored more points in the second half than the first in 14 of 18 games this season. The Spartans are averaging 38.4 points after halftime but just 30.9 before the intermission. On the year, the Spartans are shooting 39.6 from 3-point range in the second but 33.5 in the first half, and NSU has also shot 200-of-248 (80.6 percent) from the free throw line after intermission but just 111-of-154 (72.1 percent) beforehand. The Spartans also have a -1.7 rebound margin in the first half and a +2.1 margin in the second half.
Magic NumbersNSU owns a 0-9 record when it has been outrebounded and is 6-3 in games in which it held the edge on the glass. And predictably, the Spartans have been outshot in all 12 losses, and they have been outshot from 3-point range in 10 of their 12 setbacks. In addition, NSU is 5-1 when it hold opponents under 40 percent shooting and 1-11 when opponents hit 40 percent or better.
MEAC RankingsThe Spartans continue to lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage (36.7), with the second highest team at 34.7. NSU also ranks first in free throw percentage (77.4), second in scoring defense (73.2), 3-pointers per game (7.0), opponent rebounding (34.2) and blocks (4.3) and third in field goal percentage defense (43.8), rebounding margin (+0.4), defensive rebound percentage (68.5) and assist-turnover ratio (0.9).
Limit Those GiveawaysThe Spartans on the season are averaging 12.5 turnovers per contest. The school record for fewest giveaways per game is 13.1 set in 1987-88. NSU has committed just 10.3 turnovers the last six games. NSU had six against Princeton, tied for the fewest in a game over the last two seasons. On the flip side, NSU is averaging 17.0 points off turnovers the last three games.
Block PartyNSU ranks 87th in the nation with 4.3 blocks per game. The top 4 seasons in NSU history in terms of total blocks have all come within the last five years. The Spartans have averaged 161.0 blocks per season over those last five years and currently have 78 for this season.
4 Guard LineupLast year the Spartans owned the glass (+4.9 rebounding margin) and outscored opponents in points in the paint (32.0-24.3), while the opposition made and attempted plenty more 3-pointers (251-of-748 compared to 190-of-549 for NSU). This year, though, NSU has a +0.4 rebounding margin, has been outscored by opponents 27.0-23.9 in points in the paint and has made 126 3-pointers compared to 150 for opponents (on 43 less attempts than the opposition).
Good from 3Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 199 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.
