NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State will face a team riding a wave of momentum in Loyola Chicago this Saturday when the two men's basketball programs tip off at 4 p.m. EST for a non-conference game at Loyola's Gentile Arena.

It will mark one of NSU's most difficult challenges all year, even more so after the 9-1 Ramblers knocked off nationally ranked Florida on Wednesday on the road by six points.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Famous 1310 AM with Ross Gordon on the call. Live audio is available through www.wgh1310.com. The feed is available on smartphones through the Famous 1310 website.

Fans can watch the game live through WatchESPN, with Andy Masur and Stephond Robinson on the call for the ESPN3 contest. Live stats will be available here.

Series History
This will mark the second game ever between NSU and Loyola Chicago and the second straight year the Spartans will play against the Ramblers in the Windy City. Loyola won last year's meeting by a 75-62 score on Nov. 30. Clayton Custer and Aundre Jackson, the team's two leading scorers this year, combined for 39 points last year in the meeting with NSU.

Scouting Loyola Chicago
The Ramblers moved to 9-1 on the year after their defeat of Florida, 65-59, on Wednesday. Like NSU, Loyola also has four players averaging in double figures, led by the aforementioned Jackson (14.7) and Custer (12.5 points, 4.2 assists). Jackson, in fact, makes 69 percent from the field, with Custer and Marques Townes (12.3 points) also better than 50 percent. In fact, Loyola comes into the game shooting 52 percent overall and 42 percent from 3-point range. Donte Ingram has the most makes from beyond the arc at 19, is also in double figures with 12.2 points per game, and grabs a team-best 7.0 rebounds. Cameron Krutwig (7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds) rounds out the starting five for Loyola. In addition to shooting well, the Ramblers hold teams to 67 points per game, 40.5 percent overlal shooting and 34 percent from beyond the arc. Loyola also holds a healthy 1.3 assist-turnover ratio.

Last Time Out
Bowling Green started the game on a 23-3 run only to watch the Spartans outscore it 31-8 between the first and second halves to tie the score. In the end, BGSU surged ahead one last time for a 92-77 win over NSU last Saturday at Joseph Echols Hall. The Spartans (0-8) were unable to take the lead over the Falcons (7-2) after crawling all the way back. Dylan Frye played a big part in that, shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point range and 9-of-13 overall for a 28-point night. BGSU made 14-of-25 from beyond the arc and nearly 51 percent overall. NSU shot 51 percent in the second half and scored 15 more points in the second than the first. Alex Long made 10-of-13 for a career-high 22 points, and Preston Bungei tallied 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting with a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Steven Whitley (13 points, six assists, career-high four steals) and Kyle Williams (11 points, five rebounds, three assists) also scored in double figures. NSU got all but four points from its starting five.

Spartan Team Tidbits
 • NSU has never started a season 0-8. Before this year, the worst start was 0-5 in 1999-2000 and again in 2001-02.

 • Counting the last two games of the 2016-17 season, Norfolk State is currently on a 10-game overall losing streak. The Spartans also lost 10 in a row during the 2008-09 season as well as 11 in a row in both 2009-10 and 2010-11, the longest losing streaks in program history.

 • Teams have outscored NSU in points in the paint (28.5-22.5), second-chance points (9.8-7.9) and points off turnovers (21.6-14.5).

 • The Spartans have averaged 17.5 points off turnovers over the last four games, however. They have also been above their yearly average for points in the paint in four of the last five games. But on the flip side, NSU has only gotten 13 total bench points the last two games.

 • NSU had seasons highs of 12 fastbreak points and 30 points in the paint against Kent State. The Spartans also shot a season-best 46.2 percent against Bowling Green.

 • The Spartans are averaging just 12.5 turnovers the last two games.

 • The Spartans has certainly been a second half team. They have scored more points in the second half than the first in seven of eight games, with a 37.9-28.5 points per half discrepancy (+9.4) from the second to the first.

 • NSU has gotten to the free throw line almost twice as much in second halves (78-of-109) than first halves (37-of-56), and the Spartans have a -0.1 rebounding margin after the break compared to a -3.5 margin before. Opponents are the same at the line, hitting 99-of-124 in second halves compared to 41-of-61 in first periods.

 • Norfolk State also averages 10.4 turnovers in the first half and 7.6 after the intermission.

 • The biggest difference for opponents is first-half 3-point shooting (45.0) compared to second-half 3-point shooting (38.0), while the opposite stands true for overall shooting: 48.9 in second halves compared to 45.3 in first halves.

 • The Spartans used five different starting lineups in the first six games of the season but the same starting five each of the last three games.

 • NSU ranks third in the MEAC in blocks (3.8), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (32.5) and fifth in 3-point field goals (6.8), opponent rebounding (37.0) and defensive rebound percentage (69.5).

 • On a national level, NSU stands No. 88 in turnovers forced (15.63), No. 129 in blocks (3.8) and No. 153 in offensive rebounds (10.88).

Player Tidbits
Alex Long
 • Had career highs of 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting vs. Bowling Green
 • Stands 6th in the MEAC in field goal % (52.5) and 30th in scoring (10.1)
 • Ranks 12th all-time at NSU in blocks (78)
 • Ranks No. 313 in NCAA career records in rebounds (330) and No. 715 in points (490)

Kyle Williams
 • Averaging 11.7 points on 12-of-23 shooting, 8-of-17 from deep, with 3.7 rebounds last 3 games
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (40.0) and 11th in 3-point field goals (1.7)
 • Stands No. 1,343 in NCAA career records in points (253)

Preston Bungei
 • Averaging 16.0 points on 12-of-23 shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists last 2 games
 • Had career-high 8 assists vs. Bowling Green in career-best 40 minutes
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in blocks (1.5), 6th in minutes (32.6), 15th in assists (2.8), 18th in rebounding (5.3) and 24th in scoring (10.5)
 • Also stands No. 115 in the nation in blocks (1.50) and No. 244 in minutes (32:37)
 • Ranks No. 1,289 in NCAA career records in points (267)

Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals last 3 games
 • Had career-high 4 steals vs. Bowling Green
 • Set career highs with 12 rebounds, 9 assists and 35 minutes vs. Kent State; Nearly had NSU's first triple double in 30 years after scoring 12 points as well
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in steals (1.8), 8th in free throw % (81.1), 9th in assists (3.6), 12th in defensive rebounds (4.4), 13th in assist-turnover ratio (1.0), 14th in scoring (12.1), 15th in 3-point field goal % (36.0) and 18th in rebounding (5.3)
 • Stands No. 144 in the nation in steals (1.75), No. 221 in free throw % (81.1)  and No. 244 in double-doubles (1)

Mastadi Pitt
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (43.3) and 13th in 3-point field goals (1.6)

Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC and No. 231 in the nation in free throw % (80.8)

Stavian Allen
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in blocks (0.8)