Battle of the BayNORFOLK, Va. - The regular season finale for the Norfolk State men's basketball team will also be the second edition this year of the Battle of the Bay. In a matchup of the top two offenses in the league, the Spartans face Hampton at home at 8 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall with MEAC tournament seeding on the line. NSU will also celebrate Senior Day and honor three of its departing players.
NSU's tournament fate is simple. A win would give the Spartans the No. 2 seed in the MEAC tournament and the more favorable path of Wednesday-Friday-Saturday to get to the championship. A loss on Thursday would put NSU into the No. 3 seed with its first game on Thursday of next week.
Media CoverageThe game will be broadcast tape-delayed on Star 1310 AM as well as live on Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Aaron Clark on the call. The broadcast will air on Star 1310 beginning at approximately 10:30 p.m. 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 HistoryNorfolk State will be battling history on Thursday, as Hampton is trying to make it nine years in a row that one team swept the other in the regular season. The Pirates, of course, won the first meeting this year at Hampton, 86-76. The Spartans, who have face Hampton more than any other opponent throughout the years, still lead the all-time series, 83-45.
About HamptonThe Pirates wrapped up the MEAC regular season title on Monday with their fifth straight win, a 79-65 triumph over Delaware State. That moved Hampton to 18-9 overall and 13-2 in the league. Hampton brings in the second-highest scoring offense in the MEAC behind NSU at 74.1 points per game. Reginald Johnson Jr. (18.4 points, 3.7 assists, 1.9 steals) and Quinton Chievous (17.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists) lead the way, with Brian Darden also contributing 13.0 points per contest. The next highest scorer is Lawrence Cooks at 7.9. The Pirates don't shoot particularly well, hitting just 40.8 percent overall, 30.4 percent from the 3-point line and 64.5 percent from the charity stripe. They do, however, lead the league in rebounding margin (+4.3) by a wide margin and hold teams to less than 42 percent overall shooting and 32 percent 3-point shooting. Jervon Pressley (6.2 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Dionte Adams (4.7 points, 5.8 rebounds) also help the Pirates on the glass.
Last Time OutNSU outscored Howard 25-10 to close out the game, turning a three-point lead into an eventual 84-66 win on Monday at Echols Hall. Norfolk State led by 18 at the break before the Bison were able to cut into the lead. Howard's 5-of-27 effort in the first half (18.5 percent) allowed the Spartans to surge ahead to start the game. NSU was led by
D'Shon Taylor, who tallied 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting with eight rebounds.
Jordan Butler contributed 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds and three blocks. Norfolk State made 7-of-20 from the 3-point line to break a slump and also shot 19-of-22 from the foul line. Howard, which hit just 33 percent overall, was led by Marcel Boyd with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
MEAC StandingsHampton (13-2) secured the outright conference regular season title, with NSU, South Carolina State (both 11-4) and Bethune-Cookman (10-5) fighting it out for the next three spots. 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.
B-CU plays at S.C. State on Thursday, and the Wildcats can take the No. 2 seed with a win and a Spartan loss. S.C. State can finish as the second seed with a win and an NSU loss, the third seed with a victory and an NSU win, or the fourth seed with a loss. The Spartans have been mathematically eliminated from the No. 4 seed.
The Spartans have finished no worse than tied for third each of the last five years (including this season), the only program in the league to do so. NSU has also finished fourth or better in the MEAC in nine of the last 10 seasons, again including this year.
Player TidbitsJeff Short • Has 11 steals the last 5 games and 16 assists the last 3 games, including career-high tying 7 against Howard
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in scoring (15.7), 8th in free throw % (80.6), 12th in 3-point field goals (2.0) and 15th in assists (2.5); Sits No. 161 in the nation in free throw % (80.6) and 224 in points per game (15.7)
 • Stands No. 134 in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.1) and 139 in points (1,286)
 • Ranks 2nd in NSU career records in free throw % (.814), 7th in 3-point field goals (127), 9th in 3-point field goal percentage (.371) and 3-point field goal attempts (342), 16th in scoring average (17.5) and 34th in scoring (1,104)
 • Ranks 8th in a season in NSU's D-I history in free throw % (80.6) and 3-point field goal attempts (167), 10th in free throws (116), 11th in 3-point field goals (58) and 13th in scoring average (15.7)
D'Shon Taylor • Has scored 12+ points in 14 of the last 15 games and is averaging 16.8 points on 47.7 % shooting and 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals last 9 games
 • Had his 6th game with 20+ points with 20 against Howard; Tallied 3rd double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds at Morgan State and also tied career high with 4 steals
 • Has at least 1 steal in 11 straight games
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in steals (1.2), 11th in 3-point field goal % (36.2), 14th in field goal % (45.9) and free throw % (75.9) and 15th in scoring (13.3)
 • Stands No. 132 in NCAA D-I in career scoring average (13.1) and 468 in career points (828)
 • Ranks 14th in NSU career records in 3-point field goal % (.358) and 16th in 3-point field goals (88) and 3-point field goal attempts (246)
 • Also ranks 15th in a season in NSU's D-I history in 3-point field goal % (36.2)
Charles Oliver • Posted career-high 8 rebounds against Howard
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in free throw % (82.2), 13th in 3-point field goals (1.8) and 19th in scoring (12.6); Sits No. 117 in the nation in free throw % (82.2)
 • Stands 5th in NSU D-I season records for free throw % (82.2), 10th in 3-point field goal attempts (160), 12th in 3-point field goals (55) and 14th in free throws (111)
Zaynah Robinson • Has hit 31 of his last 35 free throw attempts; Also owns a 16-3 assist-turnover ratio the last 5 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.9), 4th in 3-point field goal % (40.5) and 10th in steals (1.3) and assists (3.0); Stands 6th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.91)
 • Stands 6th in NSU D-I season records in 3-point field goal % (40.5) adn 14th in assists (90) and assist average (3.00)
Jordan Butler • Averaging 12.5 points on 63.8 % shooting with 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks the last 8 games
 • Has 18 blocks the last 5 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), 7th in offensive rebounds (2.4), 9th in rebounding (6.9) and 11th in defensive rebounds (4.5); Also stands No. 35 in the nation in blocks (2.20), 166 in offensive rebounds (2.43) and 213 in rebounds (6.9)
 • Stands No. 47 in NCAA D-I in career blocks per game average (1.62)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU career records in blocks (102)
 • Also stands 4th in NSU D-I season records for blocks (66), 11th in rebounds (207), 12th in field goal % (52.9) and 14th in rebound average (6.9)
Alex Long • Ranks 11th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)
 • Stands 15th in NSU D-I season records in blocks (29)
Preston Bungei • Tied career high with 7 rebounds against Howard
 • Has made 22 of his last 24 free throws
 • Ranks 11th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)
 • Stands 15th in NSU D-I season records in blocks (29)
Jonathan Wade • Averaging 4.2 rebounds last 6 games, including career-high 7 at Morgan State
 • Has made 11 straight free throws
Block PartyNSU 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 150 for the season. NSU has 37 blocks the last five games.
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 77.4 percent this season, which currently ranks the Spartans fourth 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 368-of-460 (80.0 percent) from the free throw line after intermission but just 187-of-259 (72.2 percent) beforehand. They have also hit 157-of-195 (80.5 percent) in the last five minutes and overtime of their games this year.
NSU has already broken the record for free throws made in a season in its Division I history (562), surpassing the previous best of 544 set in 2011-12. The overall school record stands at 669 set in 1965-66.
Up That ScoringNSU is averaging 74.2 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 11 or less in four of the last six 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 15 of the last 16 games. The Spartans are tallying 5.7 steals per game this year but have posted six or more in five of the last six contests. On the flip side, NSU is averaging 18.9 points off turnovers the last 11 games (208 points total).
Rackin' Up the PointsIn seven of NSU's wins this year in conference play, the Spartans have scored 99, 92, 88 (twice), 87, 85 and 84 points. In fact, NSU has scored at least 70 points in 14 of 15 MEAC games this year and is averaging a league-best 80.8 points and shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 33.2 percent from 3-point range and 77.9 percent from the charity stripe in conference games. The Spartans also have a 86-46 edge in blocks against MEAC teams this year.
MEAC RankingsThe Spartans lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage (34.9), free throw percentage (77.4) and scoring offense (74.2) while ranking second in blocks (5.0) and assist-turnover ratio (1.0) and third in scoring margin (-0.2), field goal percentage defense (42.6) and 3-pointers per game (7.2).
In conference games only, Norfolk State leads the MEAC in free throw percentage (77.9), scoring margin (+7.6), assists (13.7) and assist-turnover ratio (1.1).
A Second ChanceNSU has averaged 19.0 second-chance points the last three games, including a season-high 22 against Howard on Monday.
Scoring Around the BasketNSU is averaging 26.5 points in the paint this year but 34.8 in the last eight games.
Conference StreakNSU has secured its 18th straight season this year with a .500 or better record in the MEAC. In fact, in Norfolk State's 61 seasons in a conference, the program has had just one losing conference record (9-10 in the CIAA in 1990-91).
NSU is tied with Wisconsin for eighth in the nation for the longest streak of .500-or-better conference records in a row in Division I (See table page 5). NSU has posted 23 straight .500 or better conference records, dating back to that 1990-91 campaign.
Best in the ConferenceSince the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU is 63-16 in regular season conference play (31-8 at home, 32-8 on the road), tied with North Carolina Central (63-16) during that time for the best record in the league. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 69-19, while the Eagles are 68-19 during that time. NSU also owns a 101-66 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (104-55).
Winning the StateSince the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU has the third-most wins (101) among the 14 Division I schools in the state of Virginia. The Spartans trail VCU (129) and Virginia (128).
