NSU Men's BasketballNORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State will try to bounce back in its second-to-last regular season game when the Spartans host Howard on Monday at 8 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.
NSU fell by 17 in its last contest at Morgan State on Wednesday. After Saturday's action, though, the Spartans are now guaranteed a bye in the MEAC tournament. They can still finish as high as the No. 1 seed or as low as No. 4. This will also mark the first time since leap year 1996 that NSU will compete on Feb. 29.
Media CoverageThe 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 video feed also carries the radio broadcast.
Series HistoryNorfolk State won the first matchup with Howard this season, a 99-92 two overtime victory in Washington, D.C. That gave NSU a 40-10 all-time series lead against Howard, a history that began in 1967-68. The Spartans have won 11 of the last 12 meetings as well.
About HowardThe Bison fell by a 68-67 score on Saturday at Hampton, their eighth loss in the last 10 games, to fall to 12-18 overall and 6-9 in MEAC play. Howard scores 72.6 points per game but also gives up 76. James Daniel III is the only double-digit scorer for the Bison, averaging a national-best 27.7 points per game to go with 2.8 assists and 2.2 steals. Marcel Boyd (9.9 points, 9.5 rebounds) and Damon Collins (9.9 points, 4.7 rebounds) also chip in for a team that averages 15 turnovers per game and only 8.5 assists. As a team, the Bison shoot 40.7 percent overall and only 29.5 percent from 3-point range. They do force teams into 14.3 turnovers per contest.
Last Time OutMorgan State hit nearly 55 percent from the floor and 9-of-15 from 3-point range to hand NSU an 89-72 loss last Wednesday in Baltimore. The Spartans shot just 2-of-18 from 3-point land, tied for the fewest makes in a game this season.
D'Shon Taylor led all players with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four steals to go with three assists. NSU fell behind by 14 points at the half and trailed by as much as 24 in the second half.
Jeff Short (13),
Charles Oliver (12) and
Jonathan Wade (10) also scored in double figures. Rasean Simpson and Andre Horne each tallied 18 points for the Bears.
MEAC StandingsHampton (12-2) needs just one win in its last two games to win the outright conference regular season title. South Carolina State (11-4) sits just a half game ahead of the Spartans (10-4), with Bethune-Cookman (9-5) lurking right behind both teams. The top four seeds in this year's tournament will get byes into the quarterfinal, with the top two getting the chance to play the more advantageous schedule of Wednesday-Friday-Saturday.
The Spartans have finished no worse than tied for third each of the last four years, the only program in the league to do so. NSU has also finished fourth or better in the MEAC in eight of the last nine seasons.
Player TidbitsJeff Short • Has 11 steals the last 4 games and 9 assists the last 2 games
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in scoring (16.0), 9th in free throw % (80.6) and 12th in 3-point field goals (2.0); Sits No. 163 in the nation in free throw % (80.6) and 201 in points per game (16.6)
 • Stands No. 130 in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.2) and 140 in points (1,277)
 • Ranks 2nd in NSU career records in free throw % (.814), 7th in 3-point field goals (126), 9th in 3-point field goal percentage (.373) 3-point field goal attempts (338), 16th in scoring average (17.7) and 34th in scoring (1,095)
 • Ranks 8th in a season in NSU's D-I history in free throw % (80.6), 9th in 3-point field goal attempts (163), 10th in free throws (116) and 11th in scoring average (16.0) and 3-point field goals (57)
D'Shon Taylor • Has scored 12+ points in 13 of the last 14 games and is averaging 16.4 points on 47.4 % shooting and 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals last 8 games
 • Had 3rd double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds at Morgan State; 5th game with 20+ points and also tied career high with 4 steals
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in steals (1.2), 13th in 3-point field goal % (35.3), 14th in field goal % (45.8) and 16th in scoring (13.1)
 • Stands No. 138 in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.0) and 491 in career points (808)
 • Ranks 16th in NSU career records in 3-point field goals (86) and 3-point field goal attempts (243) and 17th in 3-point field goal % (.354)
Charles Oliver • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in free throw % (82.2), 13th in 3-point field goals (1.9) and 19th in scoring (12.5); Sits No. 122 in the nation in free throw % (82.2)
 • Ranks 19th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal % (.351)
 • Stands 5th in NSU D-I season records for free throw % (82.2), 12th in 3-point field goals (54) and 3-point field goal attempts (154) and 14th in free throws (106)
Zaynah Robinson • Has hit 31 of his last 35 free throw attempts
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (41.1), 8th in steals (1.3) and 10th in assists (3.0)
 • Would rank 7th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.74) but is just short of the 3.0 assists-per-game mark
 • Stands 5th in NSU D-I season records in 3-point field goal % (41.1)
Jordan Butler • Averaging 11.7 points on 60.4 % shooting with 8.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks the last 7 games
 • Has 15 blocks the last 4 games; Tied career high with 7 blocks against Morgan State, tying the NSU D-I record shared by Kyle O'Quinn; Fell 1 short of tying the overall school record of 8
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in blocks (2.2), 8th in offensive rebounds (2.4), 9th in rebounding (6.9) and 12th in defensive rebounds (4.4); Also stands No. 35 in the nation in blocks (2.17), 160 in offensive rebounds (2.45) and 215 in rebounds (6.9)
 • Stands No. 49 in NCAA D-I in career blocks per game average (1.60)
 • Ranks 6th in NSU career records in blocks (99)
 • Also stands 5th in NSU D-I season records for blocks (63) and 14th in rebounds (200) and rebound average (6.9)
 • Had double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds against Coppin State; 3rd of season and 6th game with 10+ rebounds
Alex Long • Ranks 11th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)
 • Stands 15th in NSU D-I season records in blocks (29)
Preston Bungei • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)
Jonathan Wade • Averaging 4.4 rebounds last 5 games, including career-high 7 at Morgan State
 • Has made 11 straight free throws
Block PartyThe Spartans set the school record with 17 blocks against Morgan State on Feb. 13, surpassing the previous best of 13 set at Savannah State on Jan. 5, 2005. The team's 17 swats is tied with Houston Baptist for the most this season in a game in NCAA Division I. NSU has 33 blocks the last four games.
NSU ranks No. 30 in the nation with 5.0 blocks per game. The top four 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 146 for the season.
Good from the LineNSU, which ranked No. 282 in the nation last year in free throw percentage, has improved its mark from 65.9 to 77.1 percent this season, which currently ranks the Spartans fifth in the nation. NSU is attempting to hit better than 70 percent this year for the first time since the 2003-04 season and break the school record of 72.3 set in 1968-69.
On the year, the Spartans have shot 356-of-446 (79.8 percent) from the free throw line after intermission but just 180-of-251 (71.7 percent) beforehand. They have also hit 156-of-193 (80.8 percent) in the last five minutes and overtime of their games this year.
The team's 543 free throws this year trails only the 2011-12 squad (544) for the most in a single season in D-I history.
Good From Long RangeWith 209 3-pointers this year, Norfolk State has set the school record for most makes in a season, surpassing the previous best of 198 set in 2011-12. NSU is hitting 34.9 percent from beyond the arc, behind the school's Division I record of 35.7 percent set in 1998-99. They have shot 33 percent or less in six of the last seven games.
Up That ScoringNSU is averaging 73.9 points per game this year, the most since the Spartans tallied 76.0 per game in 1999-2000.
Limit Those GiveawaysThe Spartans on the season are averaging 12.7 turnovers per contest, including 10 or less in three of the last five games. The school record for fewest giveaways per game is 13.1 set in 1987-88. NSU has also had as many or fewer turnovers than the opposition in 14 of the last 15 games. On the flip side, NSU is averaging 19.2 points off turnovers the last 10 games (192 points total).
Rackin' Up the PointsIn six of NSU's wins this year in conference play, the Spartans have scored 99, 92, 88 (twice), 87 and 85 points. In fact, NSU has scored at least 70 points in 13 of 14 MEAC games this year and is averaging a league-best 80.6 points and shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from 3-point range and 77.4 percent from the charity stripe in conference games. The Spartans also have a 82-41 edge in blocks against MEAC teams this year.
MEAC RankingsThe Spartans continue to lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage (34.9) and free throw percentage (77.1) while also ranking second in scoring offense (73.9), blocks (5.0) and assist-turnover ratio (1.0) and third in field goal percentage defense (42.9) and 3-pointers per game (7.4).
In conference games only, Norfolk State leads the MEAC in free throw percentage (77.4), scoring margin (+6.9), assists (13.7) and assist-turnover ratio (1.1).
A Second ChanceNSU has 35 second-chance points the last two games, including a season-high 20 at Morgan State.
Scoring Around the BasketNSU is averaging 26.4 points in the paint this year but 35.4 in the last seven games.
