NSU Men's Basketball - Men's Night Out
NORFOLK, Va. - Winners of its last three games and four of the past five, the Norfolk State men's basketball team will attempt to keep the good times rolling when the Spartans host a pair of teams this weekend. Up first, NSU welcomes Bethune-Cookman to town for a Saturday evening contest. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. from Joseph Echols Hall.
The Spartans have moved to within a game of first place in the league at 4-2, while B-CU has struggled at 1-5 in the league as well as 4-15 overall. Four of its five losses in the MEAC, however, have come by six points or less.
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
Bethune-Cookman won last year's meeting in Norfolk by a 72-70 score, although the Spartans still lead the all-time series, 18-12. The two teams met in 1964-65 and again in 1965-66, both wins by the Spartans, and then did not see each other again until the Spartans officially joined the MEAC in 1998-99. NSU will make a return trip to Daytona Beach in February, marking the first time since 2006-07 that the two programs will meet twice in the regular season.
About Bethune-Cookman
The Wildcats defeated Florida A&M on Jan. 16 for just their second Division I win of the season. They don't lack for talent, as four players average in double figures for an offense that scores 72 points per game. Led by the MEAC's leading scorer, Brandon Tabb (19.3 points with team-high 5.7 rebounds), the Wildcats also boast double-digit scorers Reggie Baker (14.3), Quinton Forrest (12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Diamante Lewis (10.5 points). The next closest player is at 5.1. B-CU gives up 81 points per game and allows teams to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field. The Wildcats hit 41 percent overall, 29 percent from 3-point range and just 62 percent from the free throw line. They are good at forcing turnovers, nearly 15 per contest, while averaging seven and a half steals as well.
Last Time Out
NSU outscored Coppin State by 22 in the second half on the way to a 74-64 win over the Eagles on Monday night at CSU's Physical Education Complex in Baltimore. The Spartans fell behind by 16 in the first half but won the second-period scoring battle 52-30, shooting 68 percent after halftime after making just 24 percent in the first period. They won their ninth straight over CSU despite going nearly 12 minutes without a field goal in the first half. The Eagles had a 10-minute stretch in the second period without a made bucket and shot just 14-of-29 from the free throw line in the second half as well.
Jonathan Wade led NSU with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while
Zaynah Robinson added 14. NSU had just seven turnovers.
Player Tidbits
Jonathan Wade
 • Had 11th 20-point game of season with 23 at Coppin State
 • Averaging 21.5 points on 32-of-48 shooting, including 7-of-14 on 3-pointers, and 2.5 assists last 4 games
 • Has scored in double figures in all 20 games
 • Ranks 2nd in the nation in largest increase in points per game from last year (+13.4) behind Northeastern's T.J. Williams (+15.1)
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in scoring (19.3), 6th in minutes (34.1), 3-point field goal percentage (39.5) and in field goal percentage (49.6), 9th in defensive rebounds (4.4), 14th in free throw percentage (71.7), and 15th in rebounding (5.6)
 • Ranks 56th in the nation in points (19.3), No. 109 in minutes (34:06) and No. 132 in field goal percentage (49.6)
 • Stands No. 748 in NCAA Division I career records in points (580)
 • Ranks 10th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal percentage (37.2) and 17th in free throw percentage (75.8)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Averaging 14.6 points, 5.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals last 7 games, and 38.0 minutes last 5 games
 • 16-of-18 on free throws last 3 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.8), 3rd in free throw percentage (84.0), 4th in steals (1.3), 5th in assists (3.8), 7th in minutes (33.4), 13th in 3-point field goals per game (1.8) and 22nd in scoring (11.6)
 • Ranks 32nd in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (2.77), No. 155 in minutes (33:25) and No. 187 in assists (3.8)
 • Stands No. 229 in NCAA Division I career records with 209 assists and No. 889 in points (518)
 • Ranks 17th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal attempts (217) and 19th in 3-point field goals (75) and assists (209)
Dan Robinson
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC (1.2) and No. 171 in the nation in blocks (1.21)
Kyle Williams
 • Averaging 8.7 points on 9-of-19 shooting, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range, last 3 games
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (37.2)
Jordan Butler
 • Averaging 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks last 6 games and 9.7 points last 3 games
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in blocks (1.6), 5th in rebounding (6.4), 8th in offensive rebounds (2.2) and 11th defensive rebounds (4.2)
 • Ranks 74th in the nation in blocks (1.60) and No. 235 in offensive rebounds (2.20)
 • Stands 29th in NCAA Division I career records with 134 total blocks, 31st with a 1.63 blocks-per-game average, No. 238 in rebounds (424) and No. 1,021 in points (465)
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in blocks (134)
Alex Long
 • Averaging 8.5 points on 21-of-34 shooting and 6.5 rebounds last 6 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.6), 10th in rebounding (5.8), 13th in defensive rebounds (4.2) and 15th in offensive rebounds (1.6)
 • Ranks 69th in the nation in blocks (1.63)
 • Stands No. 1493 in NCAA Division I career records in points (314)
 • Ranks 18th all-time at NSU in blocks (66)
Kerwin Okoro
 • Averaging 10.8 points and 1.4 assists and shooting 11-of-29 from 3-point range last 5 games
Keep Shooting
NSU has made 100-of-212 (47.2 percent) from the floor over the last four games. Against Hampton, the Spartans shot 10-of-16 from 3-point range (62.5 percent), the fourth-best percentage in the program's Division I history. It also marked the fifth time this year NSU reached double digits in 3-pointers in a game.
Norfolk State made 19-of-28 from the field in the second half at Coppin State (67.9 percent) while scoring 52 points, marking the first times this year the Spartans shot better than 60 percent in a half and scored at least 50 in one period.
Rejected
NSU has had more blocks than the other team in each of the last seven games and 13 of the last 15. On the year, NSU ranks 27th in the nation in blocks per game at 5.3 and 33rd with 106 total blocks. The Spartans had 10 blocks against Hampton, the third time this season with 10 swats in a contest. Only twice in its Division I history has NSU had more than 10 blocks in a game.
Mix and Match
NSU has used 12 different starting lineups this year, including nine during a 10-game span at one point. Lately, though, the Spartans have used the same starting five in each of the last five games, with NSU going 4-1 during that time.
Clean the Glass
NSU is a combined +27 on the boards during the last six games, all in MEAC play. On the year, NSU is a collective +0.0 in first halves but -1.1 on the glass in second periods. NSU has also yet to win a game when losing the rebounding battle this year (0-10) and is also 7-3 when ahead in the rebound column.
Don't Turn it Over
On the year, Norfolk State is getting outscored 16.6-11.5 in points off turnovers. NSU has had more turnovers than the other team in nine of the last 11 games, although the Spartans are coming off a season-low seven-turnover performance at Coppin State.
Attack the Glass
NSU is averaging 8.9 second-chance points per game this season and has only scored in double digits once in the past eight games.
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank first in the MEAC in blocks (5.3) as well as second in scoring margin (-5.6), field goal percentage defense (43.0) and defensive rebound percentage (71.0) and third in opponent rebounding (36.2), rebound margin (-1.0) and defensive rebounds (25.9).
Ahead at the Half
The Spartans are 86-17 (83.5 winning percentage) since the start of the 2011-12 season when leading or tied at the half, including just 6-4 this season (and 1-9 when trailing).
What Deficit?
NSU has erased a double-digit deficit in a victory 10 times in the past three seasons, including for the first time in 2016-17 when the Spartans came back from 16 down at Coppin State.
