Norfolk State Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The last regular season road trip for the Norfolk State men's basketball team finds the Spartans traveling to Florida for a pair of games. Up first, NSU takes on Florida A&M on Saturday at 6 p.m. at FAMU's Al Lawson Center. The Spartans are looking for their 10th straight win.
NSU currently sits 10-2 in MEAC play, a half game behind league leader North Carolina Central (10-1). Hampton (8-3) occupies third place, while Savannah State and Morgan State are tied for fourth at 7-4.
NSU has improved its overall mark to and even .500 at 13-13 thanks to its nine-game win streak. It is 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.
The Rattlers, meanwhile, enter Saturday's matchup at 7-18 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 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.
Florida A&M will have
live video available.
Series History
Norfolk State's longest win streak against any MEAC school currently sits at 12, that coming against Florida A&M. The Spartans have not lost to the Rattlers since the 2006-07 season and have won the last four in Tallahassee. Overall, the Spartans lead the series 17-9.
About Florida A&M
The Rattlers have alternated wins and losses each of the last six games, and they currently sit 5-7 in the MEAC. Their last game occurred on Monday, when FAMU fell on the road by just five to league-leading North Carolina Central, 78-73. Desmond Williams had 18 to lead the way, and he tallies team bests 15.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season. The squad averages nearly 73 per game, thanks also to double-digit scoring from Marcus Barham (12.8) and Justin Ravenel (10.0). But on the year, Florida A&M has also given up almost 80 points while allowing teams to shoot 46 percent overall, 36 percent from 3-point range and make exactly nine 3-pointers per game. The Rattlers counter by hitting 36 percent as well from deep, thanks in part to Barham (39.9 percent, 61 total 3's) and Ravenel (43.8 percent, 49 total 3's). FAMU has been hurt on the glass as well (-6.4 rebound margin).
Last Time Out
In a rare mid-week conference game, one that was postponed from January due to weather, NSU led nearly the entire way and held off a late South Carolina State push to win 81-70 on Wednesday at home. The Spartans made 32-of-40 from the free throw line, 14 more attempts than the Bulldogs, to help secure the win. S.C. State, which got to within three with five and a half minutes left, could not overcome an 11-2 run by NSU that put the game away. The Bulldogs did outscore the Spartans 15-0 in fastbreak points, while almost everything else across the stat line was even.
Jonathan Wade earned his fourth straight double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 7-of-12 from the field and 11-of-12 from the foul line.
Zaynah Robinson scored 14, and
Kyle Williams added 13 off the bench.
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 needs one more win to secure a bye, 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 more favorable 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 4th straight double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds against South Carolina State; 15th game this season with 20+ points
 • Shot career-best 5-of-9 from the 3-point line against MDES
 • Averaging 23.7 points last 3 games (including 22.4 last 10 games) and 11.8 rebounds last 4 games
 • Has made 35-of-43 from the free throw line last 4 games, including career-best 12-of-14 at South Carolina State
 • Has scored in double figures in all 26 games
 • Ranks 3rd in the nation in largest increase in points per game from last year (+14.3) behind Hofstra's Justin Wright-Foreman (+15.4) and Northeastern's T.J. Williams (+14.7)
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in scoring (20.2), 4th in defensive rebounds (5.0), 5th in field goal percentage (49.6), 6th in 3-point field goal percentage (40.0), 7th in rebounding (6.5), 8th in minutes (34.0) and 15th in free throw percentage (74.0)
 • Ranks 35th in the nation in points per game (20.2), No. 124 in field goal percentage (49.6), No. 127 in minutes (34:02), No. 143 in double doubles (5) and No. 191 in defensive rebounds (5.00)
 • Stands No. 601 in NCAA Division I career records in points (718)
 • Ranks 5th in NSU Division I records in scoring average (20.2), 6th in 3-point field goal percentage (40.0) and free throw attempts (173), 8th in free throws made (128), 10th in points (524) and 12th in field goals made (174)
 • Ranks 9th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal percentage (38.1) and 14th in free throw percentage (76.6)
Zaynah Robinson
 • Averaging 18.0 points and 3.0 steals last 4 games and 6.2 assists last 9 games; Also 16-of-18 from the free throw line last 5 games
 • Has played at least 36 minutes in 9 of the last 11 games, including all 40 minutes in four contests
 • Has tallied 12 or more points in 10 of the last 13 games
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (3.2) and steals (1.5), 3rd in free throw percentage (81.9), 6th in assists (4.3), 7th in minutes (34.4) and 19th in scoring (12.6)
 • Ranks 12th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.18), No. 108 in minutes (34:21), No. 121 in assists (4.3) and No. 152 in steals (1.52)
 • Stands No. 185 in NCAA Division I career records with 245 assists and No. 796 in points (611)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU Division I records in assist average (4.32), 6th in assists (108) and 7th in free throw percentage (81.9)
 • Ranks 16th all-time at NSU in assists (245), 17th in 3-point field goal attempts (249) and 18th in 3-point field goals (85)
Kyle Williams
 • Shot career-best 7-of-8 from the free throw line against South Carolina State
 • Tallied 2nd 20-point game of the season with 20 at Savannah State; Also had career-best 4 assists and tied career high by shooting 5-of-10 from deep
Jordan Butler
 • Averaging 8.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last 12 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 (6.8), 7th in defensive rebounds (4.8) and 11th in offensive rebounds (2.0)
 • Ranks 47th in the nation in blocks (1.86), No. 221 in rebounds (6.8) and No. 236 in defensive rebounds (4.76)
 • Stands 23rd in NCAA Division I career records with 149 total blocks, 31st with a 1.69 blocks-per-game average, No. 207 in rebounds (470) and No. 1,069 in points (494)
 • Ranks 10th in NSU Division I records in blocks (39) and 15th in rebound average (6.8)
 • Ranks 3rd all-time at NSU in blocks (149)
Alex Long
 • 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 16th in rebounding (5.5)
 • Ranks No. 133 in the nation in blocks (1.32)
 • Stands No. 1,496 in NCAA Division I career records in points (356)
 • Ranks 15th in NSU Division I records in blocks (33)
 • Ranks 14th all-time at NSU in blocks (68)
Dan Robinson
• Tied career high with 9 points against South Carolina State
 • Averaging 5.1 points on 16-of-23 shooting last 7 games and 4.7 rebounds last 3 games
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC (1.1) and No. 213 in the nation in blocks (1.08)
Bryan Gellineau
 • Averaging 4.5 points last 4 games
Conference Streak
NSU will finish above .500 this year in the MEAC, securing their 19th straight season with a .500 or better conference record. In fact, in Norfolk State's 62 seasons in either the EIAC, CIAA or the MEAC, 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 +4.2 on the glass in conference games, including three contests in which they outrebounded their opponents by at least 10. The Spartans own a 2-10 record this year when getting outrebounded but are 11-3 when ahead or tied in the rebound column. NSU also ranks 63rd in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (26.85).
MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank first in the MEAC in blocks (5.3), with the next highest team being Morgan State at 3.6. NSU also ranks second in scoring margin (-2.5), field goal percentage defense (41.5) and defensive rebound percentage (70.7), and third in field goal percentage (42.9), 3-point field goal percentage defense (33.0), free throw percentage (68.9), defensive rebounds (26.8) and rebound margin (+0.2).
Keep Shooting
NSU has shot 46.2 percent from the floor over the last 10 games, including better than 50 percent in wins against North Carolina A&T and at Savannah State. Overall, the Spartans are averaging 74.2 points per game, shooting 45.2 percent overall and have a 72-40 edge in blocks against MEAC foes this year.
Play Some 'D'
On the other side, NSU has held teams to 41 percent or less in nine of the 12 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 37.5 percent shooting, including 27.9 percent from deep, during conference play.
On the year, the Spartans rank 68th in the nation in field goal percentage defense (41.5) and 88th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (33.0).
Rejected
NSU has had more blocks than the other team in 12 of the last 13 games and 18 of the last 21. On the year, NSU ranks 19th in the nation in blocks per game at 5.3 and 19th with 139 total blocks.
Free Points
NSU had 32 free throws against South Carolina State at home, the third most in the program's Division I history. The Spartans have only topped that number when they set the program record with 41 three years ago and when they had 35 earlier this season against Eastern Kentucky.
Have Another Chance
NSU has averaged 12.3 second-chance points over the last three games while averaging 9.3 per game for the season.
Don't Foul
For the year, NSU has had more fouls than the opposition and less free throw attempts in 16 of 26 games. But in the last six games, the Spartans have had fewer fouls in five of those contests.
Bench Production
So far this year, the opposition's bench is outscoring NSU's, 23.6-17.7. The Spartans, however, have gotten 24.0 points per game from their bench over the last five games, including a season-high 38 at Savannah State.
Winning the State
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU has the third-most wins (116) among the 14 Division I schools in the state of Virginia. The Spartans trail VCU (154) and Virginia (152).
