COLUMBIA, S.C. - Part of the 2018 Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, NSU travels to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.

The contest, along with the season opener at Michigan, is part of the hall of fame tournament that will conclude this weekend at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, where NSU will face Siena and then either Stony Brook or Holy Cross.

Media Coverage
The game against South Carolina will be broadcast live on the SEC Network+, which is available through the WatchESPN app like ESPN3. Live stats will also be available through South Carolina's StatBroadcast page.

Series History
Norfolk State and South Carolina have met once in their history, an 84-69 victory by the Gamecocks on Nov. 14, 2015. Part of that year's Paradise Jam, NSU got 21 points from Charles Oliver and 16 from Jeff Short in the 2015-16 season opener.

Scouting South Carolina
The Gamecocks stand 1-1 on the year, defeating USC Upstate by 13 but then falling to Stony Brook on Friday night by two, 83-81. A.J. Lawson had 23 points, and Tre Campbell added 15 for a Gamecock team that shot 46 percent but fell in the end. Stony Brook held a 49-33 edge on the glass and was 19-of-23 from the foul line. Lawson is averaging 16.0 points in two games, while Keyshawn Bryant (15.0) and Chris Silva (10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds) also have scored in double figures in the early going. The Gamecocks have forced 37 turnovers in the first two games and held those first two opponents to 36 percent overall shooting. USC has only shot 22 percent from deep in the early going,

Last Time Out
After a tight first half, NSU held Clarion to just 19 points in the second half in a 74-46 win over Golden Eagles on Saturday night at Joseph Echols Hall. The Spartans led by five at the break before shooting 61 percent in the second stanza. They finished 25-of-54 overall (46.3 percent) and outscored Clarion 25-6 in points off turnovers. The Golden Eagles gave the ball away 25 times but did hold a 36-32 edge on the glass. For NSU, Nic Thomas made 6-of-12 overall for a 19-point night to lead all scorers. Steven Whitley added 13 points, and Jordan Butler tallied 10 points with three blocks. Clarion made 36 percent overall and was led by Lawrence Lemon with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Clarion's 19 points in the second half marked the first time since last season's game against Mid-Atlantic Christian that NSU held an opponent to less than 20 points in a half.

Player Tidbits
Alex Long
 • Preseason All-MEAC 2nd Team
 • Stands 5th all-time at NSU in blocks (107)

Steven Whitley
 • Preseason All-MEAC 2nd Team

Mastadi Pitt
 • Tied career high with 5 rebounds vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Tied career high with 2 assists vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian
 • Ranks 8th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (39.4)

Nic Thomas
 • Set career high with 3 steals vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian

Jordan Butler
 • Second all-time at NSU in blocks (173)

C.J. Kelly
 • Shot 8-of-9 vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian, tied for the fifth-best percentage in a game in NSU D-I history (minimum 7 field goals)
 • Had career-high 21 points, 3 steals, 8-of-9 field goals, 2-of-3 3-point field goals, and 3-of-4 free throws against Mid-Atlantic Christian
 • Had career-high 4 rebounds at Michigan

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Has career high of 4 rebounds (Mid-Atlantic Christian) and 3 assists (at Michigan) this year

Kyonze Chavis
 • Had career highs of 10 points, 4-of-6 field goals, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals against Mid-Atlantic Christian

BJ Fitzgerald
 • Totaled career highs of 15 points, 5-of-10 field goals, 4-of-4 free throws and 6 rebounds vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian

Chris Ford
 • Had 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks against Mid-Atlantic Christian, all career highs

Back-to-Back Big Games
The wins over Mid-Atlantic Christian and then Clarion marked the first time in NSU's Division I history the Spartans won back-to-back games by at least 25 points. They also scored 52 points off turnovers during that two-game stretch.

MACU Game Facts
A few nuggets from NSU's 108-50 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian on Nov. 8:
 • NSU won by 58 points, the second-biggest margin of victory in its D-I history after last year's 78-point win over the Mustangs

 • The team's totals of 59 rebounds, 11 blocks and 83 field goal attempts all rank as the third-most in D-I history. NSU's 39 field goals were tied for the sixth-most as well

 • The Spartans had 58 points in the paint, 37 points off turnovers, 26 second-chance points and 24 turnovers forced, all of them the most since last year's game against MACU

 • Since 2002-03, the Spartans have never had at least 59 bench points

March to 100
With 89 wins now, head coach Robert Jones is 11 away from reaching 100 for his career. His 100th win would also give him the most of any NSU coach in the Division I era, topping the 99 Anthony Evans had from 2007-13. Only four coaches in NSU history have accumulated 100 wins.

Playing a Ranked Opponent
The game at No. 19/18 Michigan marked the first time in two years the Spartans faced a ranked team. It was also be the eighth team the Spartans played that was ranked since their victory over Missouri in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Spartans have now played 20 ranked opponents total since moving to Division I in 1997.

Early Start
This year's start date of Nov. 6 marked the earliest start to the season ever for NSU. Prior to this year, the Spartans' earliest start date was Nov. 9 in both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

This was the fourth straight year the Spartans opened their season at a Power 5 opponent (South Carolina, 2015; Mississippi State, 2016; Auburn, 2017; Michigan, 2018). It was also the 14th time in the past 15 years NSU began its season away from home.

Busy Stretch
The Spartans began the season with three games in five days from Nov. 6-10. It is one of three such stretches for NSU this year. They will also play three games in five days from Nov. 16-20 and then again from Nov. 27-Dec. 1. Of its 15 non-conference games this year, Norfolk State plays nine of them in November.