NSU Men's Basketball

NSU vs. South Carolina State	Saturday, Jan. 23	6 p.m.	Joseph Echols Hall
Radio: Star 1310 AM | Live Audio; Hot 91.1 FM | Live Audio	Live Video/Audio	Live Stats	Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. - In a matchup that will do much to shape the top of the MEAC standings, the Norfolk State men's basketball team takes on second place South Carolina State on Saturday at Joseph Echols Hall. Game time is 6 p.m. between the Bulldogs (5-1) and the third-place Spartans (4-1).

It will also be Faith, Family and Friends Day, featuring a performance by Earl Bynum and the Mount Unity Choir.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Star 1310 AM as well as Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Aaron Clark 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 and the live video feed. The live video feed also carries the radio broadcast.

Series History
NSU owns an 18-17 overall record against South Carolina State in the closest series NSU has against any MEAC school. The Spartans have won six of the last eight meetings, including both last year. Norfolk State won the regular season meeting in Orangeburg, S.C., before also defeating the Bulldogs in the quarterfinals of the MEAC tournament. Saturday's game will mark the first time in four seasons NSU will host S.C. State after playing just once in the regular season each of the last three years, all on the road.

About South Carolina State
The Bulldogs have been one of the biggest surprises of the conference season, taking over second place in the league at 5-1 with a 10-10 overall mark. They have won five in a row, thanks to an offense that averages almost 74 points per game and shoots well in all three areas (44.5 percent overall, 35.2 percent from 3-point range and 72.4 percent from the charity stripe). Opponents, though, shoot even better in all three areas and average 75 points while outrebounding the Bulldogs by 3.7 boards per game. Eric Eaves and Ed Stephens have done plenty of damage, tallying 16.1 and 14.5 points per game, respectively. Gabriel McCray also scores in double figures at 11.7, while three other players score at least 7 points per contest. S.C. State has also done well with the ball, averaging just 11.2 turnovers per game, best in the league by almost a full turnover.

Last Time Out
NSU erased a 10-point halftime deficit with a 13-1 run to start the second half, and the Spartans overcame a slow first half for a 75-68 win over North Carolina A&T last Monday. NSU outscored the Aggies by 17 points in the second half and also overcame a 34-point output by A&T's Sam Hunt. He had 24 points in the first half but was kept in check in the second thanks to NSU's box-and-1 defense. The Spartans, meanwhile, were without leading scorer Jeff Short but got a 20-point effort from Charles Oliver. He was one of five players in double figures for NSU, which got outrebounded 44-33 but also outscored A&T 18-5 in points off turnovers. The Spartans hit 24-of-52 (46.2 percent) for the game, including better than 53 percent in the second half. The Aggies shot just 31.7 percent from the floor on 19-of-60 shooting.

Series Edge
NSU has a winning record against every school in the MEAC, with several of those series covering a lot of ground in the Division II era. The Spartans' closest rival over the years has been S.C. State, in which NSU now leads 18-17 after two wins last season. The next closest rivalries are currently North Carolina A&T (24-20) and Savannah State (7-3).

MEAC Standings
Hampton currently leads the MEAC at 6-0 after a one-point victory at North Carolina Central last Monday. South Carolina State sits in second at 5-1, while NSU owns sole possession of third place at 4-1. Howard (3-1) and Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State (3-2 each) also round out the upper part of the league standings.

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.

Player Tidbits
Jeff Short
 • Needs 41 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 3-point field goal % (39.8) and free throw % (83.3), 5th in scoring (16.4), 8th in 3-point field goals (2.1); 14th in assists (2.3) and 15th in defensive rebounds (3.8); Sits 101st in the nation in free throw % (83.3) and 160th in points per game (16.4)
 • Stands 84th in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.0) and 131st in points (1,141)
 • Ranks 8th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal percentage (.396), 11th in 3-point field goals (108) and 13th in 3-point field goal attempts (273)
 • Averaging 2.8 assists last 9 games and 5.1 rebounds last 8 games
 • Has made a 3-pointer in 10 straight games; Shooting 8-of-21 last 3 games
 • Has scored in double figures in nine straight games

D'Shon Taylor
 • Has scored in double figures in 4 of the last 5 games
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (35.5), 11th free throw % (78.1), 12th in field goal % (45.2), 20th in rebounding (4.8) and 21st in scoring (11.7); Also sits 241stin the nation in free throw % (78.1)
 • Ranks 17th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal % (.355) and 18th in 3-point field goals (72) and 3-point field goal attempts (203)

Charles Oliver
 • 6th career 20-point game (all at NSU) with 20 at North Carolina A&T
 • Averaging 20.0 points and 4.0 rebounds last 2 games while shooting 12-25 overall and 8-17 from 3-point range
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in free throw % (81.8), 9th in 3-point field goal % (35.9), 12th in 3-point field goals (1.9) and 16th in scoring (12.7); Sits 137th in the nation in free throw % (81.8)

Zaynah Robinson
 • 48-5 assist-turnover ratio last 17 games
 • Has a 5.36 assist-turnover ratio for the season; Would rank 3rd in the nation but is just short of the 3.0 assists-per-game qualifying mark
 • Averaging 9.5 points, 5.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds the last 2 games
 • Has made a 3-pointer in 9 of the last 10 games; Has hit 17 of his last 18 free throw attempts
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (42.3), 7th in steals (1.4) and 11th in assists (3.0); Stands 229th in the nation in steals per game (1.40)

Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in blocks (2.0), 8th in defensive rebounds (4.6) and 9th in rebounding (6.7) and offensive rebounds (2.2); Also stands 45th in the nation in blocks (2.00) and 240th in rebounds (6.7)
 • Ranks 13th in NSU career records in blocks (76)
 • Had career-high 4 assists at North Carolina A&T

Preston Bungei
 • Averaging 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists last 2 games
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)

Jonathan Wade
 • Averaging 11.0 points on 7-of-15 field goals last 2 games

Alex Long
 • Averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last 4 games while shooting 15-of-21 overall

Good from the Line
NSU, which ranked 282nd in the nation last year in free throw percentage, has improved its mark from 65.9 to 77.7 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 hit 95-of-119 (79.8 percent) over the last four games. In addition, the Spartans have shot 101-of-122 (82.8 percent) in the last five minutes of its games this year.

Good From Long Range
So far this year, Norfolk State is hitting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc with 144 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 68th in the nation. The school's Division I records stand at 35.7 percent set in 1998-99, and 198 total 3-pointers in 2011-12.

Share the Ball
In each of the last two games, NSU has had five players reach double figures in scoring. It is believed to be the first time in the Division I era the Spartans had five players score 10 or more points in back-to-back games.

Hello There
NSU has used five different starting lineups in the last six games and nine altogether this year. The most one starting lineup has been together this year is five games, accomplished with two different lineups.

Nice Shooting
Over the last five games, NSU is shooting 46.2 percent from the floor (120-of-260).

Better in the 2nd
NSU has scored more points in the second half than the first in 16 of 20 games this season. The Spartans are averaging 39.5 points after halftime but just 31.1 before the intermission. On the year, the Spartans are shooting 39.8 from 3-point range in the second but 34.3 in the first half, and NSU has also shot 234-of-291 (80.4 percent) from the free throw line after intermission but just 124-of-170 (72.9 percent) beforehand. The Spartans also have a -2.2 rebound margin in the first half and a +1.8 margin in the second half.

Magic Numbers
NSU owns a 2-9 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 7-1 when it holds opponents under 40 percent shooting and 1-11 when opponents hit 40 percent or better. The Spartans have also gone 0-7 when they score less than 70 points in a game.

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans continue to lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage (37.2), with the second highest team at 35.2. NSU also ranks first in free throw percentage (77.7), second in field goal percentage defense (42.9), 3-pointers per game (7.2), opponent rebounding (34.8), blocks (4.3) and assist-turnover ratio (0.9) and third in rebounding margin (-0.5).

Best in the Conference
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU is 56-13 in regular season conference play (26-8 at home, 30-5 on the road), second in the MEAC over that period of time behind North Carolina Central (58-12). Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 62-16, while the Eagles are 63-15 during that time. NSU also owns a 94-63 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (99-51).

Limit Those Giveaways
The Spartans on the season are averaging 12.7 turnovers per contest. The school record for fewest giveaways per game is 13.1 set in 1987-88. NSU has committed just 11.3 turnovers the last eight games. On the flip side, NSU is averaging 15.8 points off turnovers the last five games.

Block Party
NSU ranks 88th in the nation with 4.3 blocks per game.

What Deficit?
NSU erased a 10-point deficit in the win over North Carolina A&T, the eighth time in the past two seasons the Spartans overcame a double-digit deficit in a victory and the 11th time overall since 2010-11.

Spartans in the Pros
Aside from Kyle O'Quinn, NSU had seven other former players sign with overseas teams. Guards Michael Deloach and Pendarvis Williams are competing in Italy for the second straight year, while guards Chris McEachin (Czech Republic), Aleek Pauline (France) and Anell Alexis (Germany) are also playing in Europe. Guard Jamel Fuentes is competing in Puerto Rico, while center Brandon Goode is currently in Estonia.

Deloach is currently averaging 19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game.