Norfolk State Men's Basketball
NORFOLK, Va. - Getting set for its last home non-conference game before a friendly home MEAC schedule in January, the Norfolk State men's basketball team welcomes Eastern Kentucky into Joseph Echols Hall this Monday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
NSU (2-9) is looking to break an eight-game losing streak, with both victories coming at home. After winning three in a row, EKU has dropped its last two to fall to 6-6 overall this season.
Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Star 1310 AM as well as Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Julee O'Neal 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
Eastern Kentucky has won three of the four all-time meetings between the two schools. The Colonels defeated NSU in the 2005 Paradise Jam and again at home during the 2012-13 season. The last time these two squads met, EKU came away with an 81-75 victory at home on March 17, 2015 in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. NSU's lone victory against the Colonels came during the only meeting in Norfolk, 70-63 on Nov. 27, 2011.
About Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels are coming off a 31-point loss at No. 11 Louisville on Saturday, their second-straight setback after also falling at Ball State in overtime. Nick Mayo added 15 points to lead the way against Louisville, and he leads the team in scoring at 18.9 points per game with 6.3 rebounds. Asante Gist (14.2 points, 3.8 assists) and Jaylen Babb-Harrison (12.6 points) also score in double figures. Isaac McGlone (9.6 points) and Zach Charles (7.3 points, 6.6 rebounds) also contribute for an offense that averages 78 points per game. EKU turns the ball over and forces the other team to turn it over close to 15 times per game both ways. The opposition has also shot close to 46 percent overall and 32 percent from 3-point range against the Colonels. EKU is giving up 80 points while also getting outrebounded by 2.2 boards per contest.
Last Time Out
Ryan Taylor tallied 38 points to lead Evansville to an 85-66 win over NSU last Wednesday in Indiana. He made 13-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-10 from 3-point range in lifting the Purple Aces to victory. They led by double digits all of the second half until NSU was able to get to within nine with four and a half minutes remaining. Evansville, though, scored 12 straight to put the game way. Norfolk State lost despite a career-best 25 points from
Zaynah Robinson. He shot 8-of-13 from the floor, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. He helped NSU finish with 11 treys on the night. Evansville shot 27-of-39 from the free throw line, 22 more attempts than the Spartans.
Jonathan Wade and
Stavian Allen each scored 11 points for NSU.
Player Tidbits
Jonathan Wade
 • Shooting 40-of-79 last 5 games
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in scoring (19.5), 6th in minutes (33.5), 8th in defensive rebounds (4.3), 9th in field goal percentage (48.4) and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (39.6), rebounding (5.5) and free throw percentage (75.4)
 • Ranks 64th in the nation in points (19.5), No. 122 in minutes (33:32), No. 181 in field goal percentage (48.4) and No. 250 in double doubles (1)
 • Stands No. 948 in NCAA Division I career records in points (409)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Posted career-high 25 points at Evansville, hitting career-bests 8-of-13 overall and 6-of-10 from 3-point range
 • 11-1 assist-turnover ratio last 3 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.7), 7th in minutes (33.5), 9th in steals (1.3), 10th in assists (3.0) and 27th in scoring (10.8)
 • Ranks 19th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.67) and No. 127 in minutes (33:27)
 • Stands No. 930 in NCAA Division I career records in points (416)
Jordan Butler
 • Has totaled 10 blocks last 5 games played
 • Averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds last 2 games played
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in blocks (120)
 • Stands 30th in NCAA Division I career records with a 1.62 blocks-per-game average, No. 31 with 120 total blocks, No. 250 in rebounds (360) and No. 973 in points (398)
Alex Long
 • Has 14 blocks last 4 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.8), 8th in rebounding (6.1) and defensive rebounds (4.3), and 12th in offensive rebounds (1.8)
 • Ranks 70th in the nation in blocks (1.82) and No. 250 in double-doubles (1)
 • Stands No. 1,439 in NCAA Division I career records in points (253)
Dan Robinson
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC and No. 161 in the nation in blocks (1.27)
Stavian Allen
 • Career-highs 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and 31 minutes at Evansville
Rejected
NSU owns a 36-17 edge in blocks over the previous six games, which includes Niagara's 8-4 advantage in that contest. On the year, NSU ranks 35th in the nation in blocks per game at 5.4 and 21st with 59 total blocks.
The top five seasons in NSU history in terms of total blocks have all come within the last six years, as the program has averaged 163.3 blocks per season during that time.
Mixing and Matching
NSU has used eight different lineups in its 11 games this year, including seven different sets of starting five in the last eight games.
Pack Your Bags
The game against Niagara marked the start of a stretch in which NSU plays five of six games on the road, with the only home game coming against Eastern Kentucky. It is also part of a larger stretch in which the Spartans play 10 of 12 away from Norfolk before a very friendly home conference schedule in January. The Spartans will play six games at home during an eight-game span in January.
Getting Back on Track
During its current eight-game losing streak, the Spartans have averaged just 59.2 points per game while shooting 37.7 percent overall and 31.7 percent from 3-point range. The opposition, on the other hand, is hitting 46.4 percent from the field during that stretch, including 42.5 percent from 3-point range.
Don't Turn it Over
NSU has only forced 33 turnovers from the opposition the last four games with 14 total steals during that time. Of course, during that four-game streak, NSU has also posted its two lowest totals of the year with nine and 10 turnovers against Niagara and Northern Kentucky, respectively.
On the year, Norfolk State is getting outscored 15.1-11.9 in points off turnovers.
Halftime Adjustments
So far this season, the opposition has scored the same amount or more points in the second half than the first period in eight of NSU's 11 games, although on average they are scoring just one more point in the second half than the first. NSU, on the other hand, is scoring on average four more points in the second stanza than the first period. The Spartans are +42 over the last four games in second half scoring compared to the first half.
Don't Foul
NSU has committed more fouls than the opposition in eight of its 11 games this year. The Spartans had less than 20 fouls in five straight games (including a season-low 15 against NKU) before committing 29 at Evansville.
Perfect from the Line
NSU shot 11-of-11 from the free throw line in the loss at Niagara. It marked the first time the Spartans made all of their charity stripe attempts in a game since Dec. 12, 2010. On that night, Norfolk State made 12-of-12 from the line at Maine.
In its other four most recent games, however, NSU has shot just 27-of-49 (55.1 percent) from the free throw line.
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank first in the MEAC in blocks (5.34) as well as second in rebounding margin (-1.8) and defensive rebound percentage (69.8), and third in scoring defense (72.6), field goal percentage defense (43.6), 3-point field goal percentage (34.5), opponent rebounding (36.3) and defensive rebounds (24.5).
Scorers Needed
Coming into the season, NSU players had combined for just two games in which they had led the team in scoring, and both of those came from
Jordan Butler last year.
So far this year, the opposition's bench is outscoring NSU's, 24.5-18.5. Included in those numbers are back-to-back games against Bucknell and Sacred Heart in which the Spartans scored a combined 13 bench points.
Winning the State
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU has the third-most wins (105) among the 14 Division I schools in the state of Virginia. The Spartans trail Virginia (142) and VCU (140).
O'Quinn's NBA Season
Former Spartan Kyle O'Quinn is now in his fifth year in the NBA and the second with the New York Knicks. He became NSU's first NBA player in 25 years after getting drafted in the second round in 2012 by the Orlando Magic. So far this year, O'Quinn is averaging 6.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.
Professional Spartans
Aside from O'Quinn, NSU has several other former players competing professionally. Michael Deloach is currently with Eurobasket Roma in the Italian Serie A2 league, where he is averaging 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
Jeff Short is competing with Arcos Albacete Basket in Spain, where he has posted 13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
In addition, former Spartan
D'Shon Taylor is playing for Al Mina of the Iraq Superleague, Aleek Pauline is with Sampaense Basketball of the Portuguese Basketball League, and Anell Alexis is competing with Caballos de Cocle Aguadulce of the Panamanian Basketball League.
Another former NSU player, Pendarvis Williams, competed in Italy the last two years but is currently with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.
