NSU Men's Basketball - Faculty Appreciation Night
NORFOLK, Va. - The train keeps rolling for the Norfolk State men's basketball team. Winners of eight straight, the Spartans look to make it nine in a row when they host South Carolina State on Wednesday at Joseph Echols Hall. Tip-off will be 8 p.m. in a matchup postponed from January due to weather.
NSU, which was off Monday, currently sits 9-2 in MEAC play, a game behind league leader North Carolina Central (10-1). Hampton (8-3) occupies third place, while Savannah State and Morgan State are now tied for fourth at 7-4.
NSU has improved its overall mark to 12-13 thanks to its eight-game win streak, the longest since the Spartans won 15 straight in 2012-13, the year they went undefeated in conference play. Only six teams in the nation (Gonzaga, Vermont, Monmouth, Princeton, N.C. Central, Furman) are currently riding a longer win streak than NSU.
After a victory on Monday at North Carolina A&T, S.C. State sits 8-17 overall and 5-7 in conference play.
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
Norfolk State won the first meeting this year less than two weeks ago at S.C. State by a 65-62 margin, improving its overall series lead against the Bulldogs to 20-18. The Spartans have won eight of the last 11, and it has now been more than 10 years since the Bulldogs won two in a row over NSU. Of all the teams in the MEAC, South Carolina State and Florida A&M are the only two programs the Spartans did not play prior to joining the league.
About South Carolina State
The Bulldogs, picked to finish second in the league in the preseason poll after advancing to last year's championship game, defeated N.C. A&T on Monday to break a three-game losing streak. Eric Eaves scored 20 in that contest, and he now averages 16.2 points per game to lead all players. Tashombe Riley also reaches double figures with 11.4 to go along with a team-best 4.8 rebounds, although as a team SCSU is -8.3 in rebounding margin. Greg Mortimer (9.2), James Richardson (8.8) and Edward Stephens (7.9) also add to an offense that scores just 67 per game. The Bulldogs also give up nearly 80 per contest, and opponents shoot nearly 49 percent from the field. SCSU's biggest win this year came at third-place Hampton on Jan. 25, a 68-66 victory.
Last Time Out
After a slow first half, NSU outscored Maryland Eastern Shore by 15 in the second to earn a comeback win last Saturday at Echols Hall, 75-69. The Spartans shot just 32 percent in the first half but outscored MDES 22-8 to start the second period. NSU led by eight later on before the Hawks rallied to pull back ahead. In the end, NSU got a 3-point play from
Alex Long, who later hit 6-of-6 from the free throw line to help the Spartans hold back the Hawks.
Jonathan Wade added 21 points and 11 rebounds for his third straight double-double, with 16 points and nine boards coming in the second half. He made 5-of-9 from 3-point range, part of a larger 11-of-26 effort for the Spartans.
Conference Standings
Because Savannah State is ineligible for postseason play, the top four teams in the standings this year will get first-round MEAC tournament byes. NSU is almost guaranteed a bye at this point in time, but the Spartans are eyeing a bigger prize. Finishing first or second in the regular season standings would guarantee them not only a first-round bye, but would set NSU up for the Wednesday-Friday-Saturday schedule at the tournament.
The Spartans have finished no worse than tied for third each of the last five years, 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.
Player Tidbits
Jonathan Wade
 • Posted 3rd straight double-double with 21 points and career-high 11 rebounds against MDES; 14th game this season with 20+ points
 • Had 19 points and 12 rebounds at South Carolina State and then 23 and career-high 13 rebounds at Savannah State
 • Has made 24-of-31 from the free throw line last 3 games, including career-best 12-of-14 at South Carolina State
 • Averaging 21.9 points on 55.6 percent shooting with 7.6 rebounds last 9 games, including 12.0 rebounds last 3 games
 • Has scored in double figures in all 25 games
 • Ranks 3rd in the nation in largest increase in points per game from last year (+14.0) behind Hofstra's Justin Wright-Foreman (+15.1) and Northeastern's T.J. Williams (+14.2)
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in scoring (19.9), 5th in field goal percentage (49.3), 6th in defensive rebounds (4.9), 7th in rebounding (6.3), and 8th in 3-point field goal percentage (39.3) and minutes (34.0)
 • Ranks 43rd in the nation in points per game (19.9), No. 131 in field goal percentage (49.3), No. 137 in minutes (33:57), No. 179 in double doubles (4) and No. 214 in defensive rebounds (4.88)
 • Stands No. 634 in NCAA Division I career records in points (691)
 • Ranks 5th in NSU Division I records in scoring average (19.9), 11th in points (497) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.3), 12th in free throws made (117) and free throw attempts (161), and 14th in field goals made (167)
 • Ranks 10th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal percentage (37.6) and 17th in free throw percentage (75.8)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Averaging 19.3 points and 3.7 steals last 3 games and 6.8 assists last 8 games
 • Has played at least 36 minutes in 8 of the last 10 games, including all 40 minutes in four contests
 • Has tallied 12 or more points in 9 of the last 12 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.2) and steals (1.5), 6th in assists (4.4), 7th in minutes (34.2), 8th in free throw percentage (80.9) and 19th in scoring (12.5)
 • Ranks 11th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.21), No. 108 in assists (4.4), No. 118 in minutes (34:10) and No. 145 in steals (1.54)
 • Stands No. 187 in NCAA Division I career records with 243 assists and No. 823 in points (597)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU Division I records in assist average (4.42), 6th in assists (106) and 9th in free throw percentage (80.9)
 • Ranks 16th all-time at NSU in assists (243), 17th in 3-point field goal attempts (243) and 18th in 3-point field goals (83)
Jordan Butler
 • Averaging 8.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks last 11 games, all in MEAC play
 • Earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Monday, his 4th in the last 5 weeks along with Jan. 16 and 23 and Feb. 6
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.9), 3rd in rebounding (7.0), 5th in defensive rebounds (5.0) and 10th in offensive rebounds (2.1)
 • Ranks 47th in the nation in blocks (1.90), No. 187 in rebounds (7.0), No. 206 in defensive rebounds (4.95)
 • Stands 23rd in NCAA Division I career records with 148 total blocks, 31st with a 1.70 blocks-per-game average, No. 208 in rebounds (468) and No. 1,075 in points (489)
 • Ranks 10th in NSU Division I records in blocks (38) and 14th in rebound average (7.0)
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in blocks (148)
Alex Long
 • Averaging 8.8 points last 6 games
 • Made career-best 7-of-7 from the free throw line vs. MDES
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in blocks (1.3), 12th in defensive rebounds (4.0) and 15th in rebounding (5.5)
 • Ranks 132nd in the nation in blocks (1.33)
 • Stands No. 1,491 in NCAA Division I career records in points (354)
 • Ranks 15th all-time at NSU in blocks (67)
Dan Robinson
 • Averaging 4.5 points on 12-of-17 shooting last 6 games
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC (1.1) and No. 210 in the nation in blocks (1.08)
Kerwin Okoro
 • Posted 5th double-digit scoring game of the season with 15 vs. MDES
Stavian Allen
 • Grabbed career-best 10 rebounds at Savannah State
 • Has 2 blocks each of the last 2 games
Bryan Gellineau
 • Averaging 4.3 points last 3 games
 • Tied career high with 2 blocks against Maryland Eastern Shore
Conference Streak
NSU's win at Savannah State meant the Spartans can't finish below .500 this year in the MEAC. It secured their 19th straight season with a .500 or better record in the league. In fact, in Norfolk State's 62 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 6). NSU has posted 24 straight .500 or better conference records, dating back to that 1990-91 campaign.
Every other team in the MEAC has had at least one losing conference record since 2011-12.
Clean the Glass
The Spartans are +4.5 on the glass in conference games, including three contests in which they outrebounded their opponents by at least 10. At Savannah State, the Spartans outrebounded the Tigers 60-45, breaking NSU's previous Division I record of 56 rebounds set against Virginia State on Nov. 15, 2000. It marked the most boards in a game for the Spartans since piling up 62 against Shaw on Feb. 23, 1995. Three players had double-digit rebounding games at Savannah State, the first time that happened since March 5, 2009 against North Carolina A&T.
The Spartans own a 2-10 record this year when getting outrebounded but are 10-3 when ahead in the rebound column.
NSU ranks 63rd in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (26.92). On the offensive side, the Spartans had a season-best 15 second-chance points against Maryland Eastern Shore.
Keep Shooting
NSU has shot 46.7 percent from the floor over the last nine games, including better than 50 percent in wins against North Carolina A&T and at Savannah State. The Spartans are averaging 73.5 points per game, shooting 45.5 percent overall and have a 68-38 edge in blocks against MEAC foes this year.
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank first in the MEAC in blocks (5.4), with the next highest team being Morgan State at 3.6. NSU also ranks second in field goal percentage defense (41.5) and defensive rebound percentage (70.8), and third in scoring margin (-3.0), field goal percentage (43.0), 3-point field goal percentage defense (33.4), defensive rebounds (26.9) and rebound margin (+0.2).
Play Some 'D'
On the other side, NSU has held teams to 41 percent or less in eight of the 11 MEAC games. Included in that was a 27.7 percent effort from Savannah State. It marked the worst shooting percentage by a Spartan opponent since Howard on Jan. 9, 2012 (27.3 percent). NSU has limited the opposition to 37.3 percent shooting, including 28.4 percent from deep, during conference play.
On the year, the Spartans rank 71st in the nation in field goal percentage defense (41.5) and 108th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (33.4).
Rejected
NSU has had more blocks than the other team in 11 of the last 12 games and 17 of the last 20. On the year, NSU ranks 17th in the nation in blocks per game at 5.4 and 24th with 135 total blocks.
Halftime Adjustments
So far this season, the opposition has scored the same amount or more points in the second half than the first period in 16 of NSU's 25 games. The Spartans, meanwhile, are scoring on average 6.2 more points in the second stanza than the first period, including 7.5 in conference games.
Mix and Match
NSU has used 13 different starting lineups this year, including nine during a 10-game span at one point. The Spartans used the same starting five in nine of the last 10 games and are 9-1 during that time.
Don't Turn it Over
On the year, Norfolk State is getting outscored 15.8-12.0 in points off turnovers, although the Spartans are averaging 14.7 points the past six games.
NSU has had more turnovers than the other team in 12 of the last 16 games. The Spartans had 47 turnovers in two straight games at South Carolina State and Savannah State before posting just nine against MDES. They had 27 at Savannah State, marking the most by a Spartan team since having 34 against Elizabeth City State on Nov. 30, 2011.
NSU's turnover margin this year is -2.5, a number that falls to -3.6 in conference games.
On the year, the Spartans have a -2.2 turnover margin in the first half, a number that falls to -0.4 in second periods. They also have 80 total steals on the year in second halves compared to 40 in first periods.
Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 240 straight games, dating back to a contest at South Carolina State on Jan. 25, 2010, when NSU finished 0-of-17 from 3-point range.
What Deficit?
NSU has erased a double-digit deficit in a victory 11 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. NSU also overcame a 16-point deficit against Maryland Eastern Shore.
Series Edge
NSU has a winning record against every school in the MEAC, with several of those series covering a lot of ground in the Division II era. The Spartans' closest rival over the years has been S.C. State, in which NSU now leads 20-18. The next closest rivalry is currently North Carolina A&T (25-20).
