SAN DIEGO, Calif. - A long week and a half awaits Norfolk State men's basketball, and it starts with a trip to California to play the University of San Diego this Saturday at 10 p.m. EST at USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion.

It will mark the first of four straight games on the road and the first of two on the trip out west along with Monday's contest at Grand Canyon. These two games along with the next two hosted by Little Rock after Thanksgiving are part of the Grand Canyon Classic.

Monday's game against the Antelopes will begin at 9 p.m. EST from Grand Canyon University Arena. GCU is serving as the host school for the event, with games also being played at San Diego and Little Rock involving all three host schools plus NSU and Robert Morris.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports San Diego, with Sam Farber and Brad Holland on the call and Michelle Margaux on the sideline. Fans outside of the broadcast reach of Fox Sports San Diego can watch the game online through WatchStadium.

Fans can follow along with the live stats on San Diego's website.

Monday's contest at Grand Canyon will be shown live to a nationwide audience on the Cox Communications system via the YurView Network. For those in Virginia, it will be shown on Cox channels 166 and 1166. The game will also be shown live on ESPN3 and through Grand Canyon's YouTube page at GCU.TV. Barry Buetel and Scott Williams will be on the headsets with Kate Longworth reporting from the sidelines.

Live stats will also be available through the Antelope's StatBroadcast Systems page.

Series History
This will mark the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and the University of San Diego as well as between NSU and Grand Canyon.

Scouting San Diego
The Toreros have started off the year 2-0 with wins over San Jose State on the road and at home against Robert Morris on Wednesday, 65-53. That contest served as part of the Grand Canyon Classic, as NSU will meet Robert Morris next week in a neutral site game at Little Rock. San Diego has shot 48 percent from the field over the course of the first two games, with Isaiah Wright averaging 19.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals while shooting 13-of-24 during that time. Olin Carter III (13.5 points) and Cameron Neubauer (10.0) have also reached double figures early on, with two more players right behind them in Yauhen Massalski (9.5) and Isaiah Pineiro (9.0). The opposition has made just 36 percent from the field and 6-of-30 (20 percent) from 3-point range against the Toreros.

Scouting Grand Canyon
The Antelopes have started off the year 2-0 with wins over MEAC school Florida A&M and Robert Morris. Grand Canyon also hosts Little Rock on Saturday before the contest against NSU. In fact, GCU's first nine games of the season and 11 of the first 12 are in Phoenix. Altogether, the Antelopes only play four non-conference games on the road, at Boise State, Louisville and Illinois and in Las Vegas against MEAC school Morgan State. So far this year, Joshua Braun has led the way with 15.5 points per game. Oscar Frayer (10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds) and Casey Benson (10.5 points, 4.5 assists) have also played big parts, but it's the defense that has come up big. Opponents have scored just 56 points per game while shooting 36 percent overall and 24 percent from 3-point range. One area of both concern and hope for the Antelopes has been turnovers, as they average 19.0 per game while also forcing 20.5.

Last Time Out
Lynchburg outscored NSU by 13 in the second half in an 83-80 upset over the Spartans last Monday at Joseph Echols Hall. The Hornets made 12-of-38 from 3-point range and forced NSU into 26 turnovers, 10 less then they had for the game. That equaled a 27-16 edge in points off turnovers for Lynchburg. The Spartans, meanwhile, could not take advantage of their +17 margin on the glass. Freshman Mastadi Pitt had another solid game, tallying 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 3-of-6 from downtown. Preston Bungei had career highs of 19 points, five blocks and four steals and tied his career best with eight rebounds. Nic Thomas was the third player in double figures for NSU with 10. Connor Schroeder led Lynchburg with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Austin Wrighten (16) and Logan Seacrist (15 points, nine rebounds) also reached double figures, and the Hornet trio combined for seven 3-pointers.

Early-Season Tidbits
 • The Spartans shot 12-of-34 from 3-point range at Auburn, the most attempts from beyond the arc in school history. They broke the previous school record of 32 set in January of 2012 and tied in January of 2016. The 12 makes are two off the school record of 14.

 • The Spartans gave up 100 points for the first time since Jan. 3, 2014 in a 104-84 loss to Mount St. Mary's.

 • NSU had 11 steals as well against Auburn, the most since posting 11 at home against Hampton on March 3, 2016.

 • The Spartans dropped their third straight season opener, with all three coming against SEC foes (South Carolina, 2015; Mississippi State, 2016).

 • The loss to Lynchburg broke an eight-game win streak for the Spartans in home openers. The last loss occurred during the 2008-09 season against Jacksonville State.

 • NSU was +17 on the glass against Lynchburg. Only once last year did the Spartans have a bigger rebound margin in a game.

 • NSU leads the MEAC in defensive rebound percentage (74.5) and ranks second in blocks (5.5) and steals (9.0) and 3rd in 3-pointers (9.0) and rebound margin (+2.0).

 • The Spartans also stand 55th in the nation in blocks (5.5) and steals (9.0) and No. 90 in 3-point field goals (9.0).

Player Tidbits
Zaynah Robinson
 • Did not play last game (injury)
 • Preseason 1st-Team All-MEAC

Alex Long
 • Ranks No. 277 in NCAA career records in rebounds (307) and No. 683 in points (424)
 • Preseason 2nd-Team All-MEAC

Preston Bungei
 • Had career highs of 19 points, 5 blocks and 4 steals and tied career high with 8 rebounds vs. Lynchburg
 • Made career-high 8-of-11 from the free throw line in career-best 35 minutes at Auburn and tied career high with 4 assists
 • Leads the MEAC in blocks (4.0) and ranks 4th in steals (2.0), 7th in minutes (33.5), 12th in scoring (14.5) and offensive rebounds (2.0) and 17th in rebounding (5.5)
 • Also stands 6th in the nation in blocks (4.0), No. 140 in steals (2.00) and No. 192 in minutes (33:30)
 • Ranks No. 1,270 in NCAA career records in points (212)

Dan Robinson
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in blocks (1.0)

Stavian Allen
 • Set career highs with 14 points and 4 steals at Auburn and tied career best with 31 minutes played
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in steals (2.0), 10th in defensive rebounds (5.0), and 15th in field goal % (54.5)
 • Also stands No. 140 in the nation in steals (2.00)

Bryan Gellineau
 • Did not play last 2 games (injury)

Steven Whitley
 • Tallied a career-high 9 rebounds against Lynchburg
 • Set career high with 6 assists and tied career best with 31 minutes played at Auburn
 • Ranks 8th in the MEAC in rebounding (7.5), 9th in assists (4.0) and offensive rebounds (2.5), 10th in defensive rebounds (5.0), 11th in free throw % (83.3), 13th in assist-turnover ratio (1.3) adn 20th in scoring (11.5)
 • Also stands No. 205 in the nation in assists (4.0) and No. 240 in rebounding (7.5)

Mastadi Pitt
 • Led team in scoring in both games this year (18 at Auburn, 23 vs. Lynchburg)
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (3.5), 4th in scoring (20.5), 6th in 3-point field goal % (58.3), 10th in field goal % (57.1), 11th in free throw % (83.3) and 15th in steals (1.5)
 • Also stands No. 61 in the nation in 3-pointers per game (3.50), No. 73 in 3-point field goal % (58.3), No. 103 in points (20.5) and No. 226 in field goal % (57.1)