STONY BROOK, N.Y. - Norfolk State will play its last non-conference game before the start of MEAC play on Saturday when the Spartan men's basketball team travels to the Long Island area to take on Stony Brook. Tip-off from SBU's Island Federal Credit Union Arena is set for 7 p.m.

NSU will return home next week to host Coppin State on Wednesday to begin the conference portion of its schedule.

Media Coverage
The game against Stony Brook can be seen live on ESPN3, available through WatchESPN. Live stats will also be available through SBU's website.

Series History
This will mark the first-ever meeting between NSU and Stony Brook. It will be the last of seven opponents this year the Spartans will play for the first time.

Scouting Stony Brook
The Seawolves are riding high after knocking off Rutgers in overtime, 75-73, on Dec. 22 in SBU's last game out. They sit 5-8 overall, with five of those losses coming by single digits. The Seawolves average nearly 75 points per game, with Akwasi Yeboah (14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds) and Jaron Cornish (11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists) leading the way. Tyrell Sturdivant (9.8 points) and Elijah Olaniyi (9.0) also contribute for an offense that shoots 44 percent overall and 37 percent from 3-point range. The opposition, however, also makes around the same while tallying 75 points each time out. Stony Brook is not a team that gets to the free throw line very often and only shoots 66 percent while there, but its defense forces 16.5 turnovers per game to win the turnover margin.

Last Time Out
Old Dominion outscored NSU 18-3 right near the end of the game to earn a hard-fought 61-50 win over the Spartans on Dec. 22 in a neutral site contest at Norfolk Scope Arena. It featured 15 lead changes throughout, but the last one proved to be the difference. NSU shot just 1-of-10 from the field during that Monarch run. ODU made just 30 percent from the floor, but a 25-of-32 effort from the free throw line proved to be the difference, especially after NSU made just 8-of-13. The Spartans shot 38 percent overall but also had 18 turnovers, which led to a 15-6 advantage in points off turnovers for ODU. The Monarchs also controlled the boards, 42-34, including an 18-9 effort on the offensive glass that gave them a 19-5 edge in second-chance points. For NSU, Kyle Williams shot 5-of-11 for a team-high 14 points, while Alex Long added 11 points and six boards.

Spartan Team Tidbits
 • ODU shot 30 percent overall and scored 61 points in its win over NSU. It marked the first time this year, in a loss, that the Spartans allowed less than 40 percent overall shooting and gave up less than 70 points.

 • Norfolk State is shooting 45.7 percent from the floor over the last four games, including its two highest totals of the season at 49.4 and 49.0. The Spartans have also tallied 10.8 fastbreak points during that time.

 • The Spartans had a season-high 13 steals at Loyola Chicago. It marked the most steals in a game since NSU had 14 against Morgan State on Jan. 21, 2013. NSU has tallied 9.0 steals during the last six games with opponents averaging 16.8 turnovers.

 • Norfolk State has been a second half team. They have scored more points in the second half than the first in nine of 13 games, with a 36.5-32.2 points per half discrepancy (+4.3) from the second to the first. Opponents, as well, have scored the same amount or more points in the second half compared to the first half in 10 of 13 games.

 • The Spartans also have a +0.2 rebounding margin after the break compared to a -1.2 margin before, and they average 9.1 turnovers in the first half and 7.6 after the intermission.

 • The Spartans used five different starting lineups in the first six games and seven different combinations altogether this season.

 • So far this year, Norfolk State has had more fouls than the other team in 10 out of 13 games.

 • NSU ranks third in the MEAC in blocks (3.5), opponent rebounding (35.5) and steals (6.8), fourth in defensive rebound percentage (70.2), offensive rebounds (11.8) and turnover margin (-0.54), and fifth in scoring margin (-8.2), field goal percentage defense (45.6), offensive rebound percentage (31.4), assists (13.3) and 3-point field goals (7.3).

 • On a national level, NSU stands No. 53 in turnovers forced (16.15), No. 88 in offensive rebounds (11.85), No. 133 in steals (6.8) and No. 165 in blocks (3.5).

Player Tidbits
Alex Long
 • Averaging 13.3 points on 34-of-60 shooting and 5.8 rebounds last 6 games; Has scored in double figures in 4 straight games
 • Has 5 blocks and 4 steals last 3 games
 • Stands 8th in the MEAC in field goal % (51.9) and 19th in scoring (10.8)
 • Ranks 11th all-time at NSU in blocks (84)
 • Ranks No. 299 in NCAA career records in rebounds (360) and No. 682 in points (548)

Kyle Williams
 • Averaging 10.0 points and 1.9 assists last 7 games
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (1.8) and 12th in 3-point field goal % (36.2)
 • Stands No. 1,327 in NCAA career records in points (296)

Preston Bungei
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in blocks (1.2), 12th in field goal % (43.5), 14th in defensive rebounds (4.1), 17th in rebounding (5.5) and 22nd in scoring (10.5)
 • Also stands No. 208 in the nation in blocks (1.15)
 • Ranks No. 1,235 in NCAA career records in points (320)

Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 6.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals last 7 games
 • 11-of-12 from the free throw line last 4 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in steals (2.0), 6th in assists (4.2), 10th in assist-turnover ratio (1.4), 12th in free throw % (78.2), 15th in scoring (11.2) and defensive rebounds (4.0), and 16th in rebounding (5.6)
 • Stands No. 47 in the nation in steals (2.00), No. 138 in assists (4.2) and No. 190 in double doubles (2)
 • Ranks No. 1,490 in NCAA career records in points (247)

Mastadi Pitt
 • Had 19 points on career-high tying 7-of-12 field goals at Eastern Kentucky
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (38.0)

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Averaged 17.3 points on 25-of-50 shooting, 19-of-39 from deep, with 4.5 rebounds (3.5 offensive) and 1.5 steals in 4 games from Dec. 9-18
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (2.0)

Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 15th in the MEAC in free throw % (75.9)

Stavian Allen
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in blocks (0.7)