Norfolk State Men's Basketball
CHICAGO, Ill. - Norfolk State will play its fifth straight game on the road when the Spartan basketball team travels to the Windy City to take on Loyola on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST from Gentile Arena. NSU is looking to break a four-game losing streak when it meets up with the Ramblers.
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.
In addition, the contest will be shown live on ESPN3, available through the
WatchESPN app, with Jordan Bernfield handling play-by-play.
Live stats will also be available.
Series History
This will mark the first-ever game between the two schools.
About Loyola
The Ramblers stand 5-2 on the year thanks to an offense averaging 81 points per game and shooting 51 percent overall. They have already defeated Washington State this season and also fell by just two against North Carolina State in their most recent game on Saturday. Loyola has used the same starting five all season, including second- and third-leading scorers Milton Doyle (14.6 points, 5.3 assists) and Clayton Custer (12.7 points), respectively. Loyola is led by leading scorer Aundre Jackson (15.7 points, 5.4 rebounds), who has come off the bench in all seven contests. Also starting are Donte Ingram (9.6 points, 5.4 rebounds) and Ben Richardson (8.3 points). The Ramblers allow just 62 points per game, as opponents hit just 40 percent from the floor and 29 percent from 3-point range. A total of 17 players have seen time on the court this year. The Ramblers also own a +6.7 edge on the glass and average eight steals per game while forcing opponents into three more turnovers each time out.
Last Time Out
Sacred Heart scored six straight points late in the game and held NSU scoreless for more than three and a half minutes before holding on for a 61-59 win over the Spartans on Friday during the second day of the Las Vegas Invitational. NSU got a loose ball with less than a minute remaining to get the last possession, but the Pioneers intercepted a Spartan pass with time ticking down to hold on to the win. Norfolk State was led by a trio of scorers, including senior
Jonathan Wade and his 28-point effort on 10-of-16 shooting.
Kyle Williams added 14 points, and
Zaynah Robinson totaled 11 as the threesome scored 53 of the team's 59 points on the afternoon. They also made all 11 of the team's 3-pointers, as NSU shot 11-of-26 from beyond the arc.
Player Tidbits
Jonathan Wade
 • Averaging 21.6 points last 5 games on 51.5 percent shooting, including 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range
 • Added 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including career-high 4-of-8 from 3-point range, in career-high 38 minutes against Sacred Heart
 • Also had 20 points at Vanderbilt
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in scoring (20.1), 5th in rebounding (6.1), 6th in defensive rebounds (4.6) and minutes (33.3), 9th in free throw percentage (75.0), 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (46.2) and 13th in field goal percentage (48.9)
 • Ranks 64th in the nation in points (20.1), 148th in double doubles (1), 164th in minutes (33:17) and 227th in field goal percentage (48.9)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Tied career high with 4 steals against Sacred Heart
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.0), 3rd in steals (1.7), 9th in minutes (32.7), 12th in assists (3.0) and 26th in scoring (10.7)
 • Ranks 63rd in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.00), 146th in steals (1.71) and 208th in minutes (32:42)
Alex Long
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in blocks (0.9), 12th in defensive rebounds (3.7) and 14th in rebounds (5.1)
Jordan Butler
 • Posted career-high 21 points against Bucknell on 7-of-14 shooting
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in blocks (115)
 • Also stands 24th in NCAA Division I career records with a 1.62 blocks-per-game average, 30th with 115 total blocks and 240th in rebounds (346)
Dan Robinson
 • Tied career high with 6 rebounds against Sacred Heart
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC and 136th in the nation in blocks (1.43)
Kyle Williams
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (44.4)
Pack Your Bags
NSU's game at Loyola will mark the fifth straight away from home for the Spartans. NSU is also currently in a stretch in which it plays 10 of 12 away from Norfolk before a very friendly home conference schedule in January.
Predictable Numbers
As is usually the case in basketball, NSU has posted a better shooting percentage than the opposition in its two wins and been worse than the other team in its five losses this season. In fact, NSU has been outshot in each of its last 22 losses, dating back to the end of the 2014-15 season. The last time the Spartans lost a game despite hitting better from the field came against Eastern Kentucky on March 17, 2015.
The opposite also holds true. The Spartans have had a better shooting percentage than the other team in their last 35 wins. The last time NSU won a game despite getting outshot percentage-wise from the field came in a victory over Saint Peter's on Nov. 29, 2014.
Getting Back on Track
NSU shot slightly better than 50 percent overall in the first three games of the season. Since then, the Spartans have shot less than 40 percent in each of their last four games and have been under 60 points each time. They have, however, connected on 15-of-35 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range in the last two contests.
NSU was also a collective +11 on the glass during those first three games but a combined -27 in the last four contests.
Rejected
NSU owns a 10-2 edge in blocks over the previous two games after being outblocked 15-2 in the prior two contests against Vanderbilt and Butler.
Don't Foul
NSU has committed more fouls than the opposition in each of the last six games but has posted season lows of 19 and 17 in the previous two.
Win the Turnover Battle
So far this year, NSU has had fewer or the same amount of turnovers as the opposition in five of seven games. But on the season, the Spartans have three more turnovers than the opposition.
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank first in the MEAC in blocks (4.7) as well as second in 3-point field goal percentage (39.3) and third in scoring margin (-5.0) and field goal percentage defense (42.9).
Nationally Ranked
As a team, NSU stands 48th in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (39.3) and No. 67 in blocks (4.7).
Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 222 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.
