NORFOLK, Va. - Two games at home this week will find the Norfolk State men's basketball team facing familiar foes, for different reasons. Up first, the Spartans take on Stony Brook on Tuesday night beginning at 7 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.

This will mark the second meeting with the Seawolves this season after Stony Brook defeated NSU 72-65 on Nov. 17 on a neutral court as part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. In a scheduling quirk, the Spartans are hosting the Seawolves this week as part of a home-and-home that began last season.

Following the matchup with SBU, the Spartans will host Hampton in the Battle of the Bay on Thursday night. It will count as a non-conference game after HU moved to the Big South Conference before this season.

Media Coverage
The game against Stony Brook will be broadcast live on Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon on the call. Live audio is available through hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128. The audio feed is also available through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB").

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
This will mark the third meeting between the two schools. Last year, NSU won the matchup in New York, 74-68. Then this year in Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Arena, the Seawolves came away with a 72-65 win thanks to a strong closing stretch.

This will mark the first time NSU will play a non-conference foe twice in a season since 2011-12, when the Spartans took on Marquette on the road then again in the U.S. Virgin Islands, both part of the Paradise Jam.

Scouting Stony Brook
The Seawolves have earned a few big wins this year, including most recently at Rhode Island on Saturday by a 68-58 score to run their record to 5-1. Stony Brook also defeated George Washington (77-74) and South Carolina (83-81) on the road as part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament.

Four players score in double figures for Stony Brook, including leading scorer Akwasi Yeboah (18.8 points, 8.3 rebounds) and Elijah Olaniyi (15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds). The duo helps the Seawolves to a +10.5 margin on the boards. Andrew Garcia (11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds) and Miles Latimer (10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds) also play a part in that while reaching double figures in scoring as well.

Although they average nearly 78 points per game, the Seawolves only shoot 41 percent overall and 30 percent from 3-point range. They do make 77 percent from the charity stripe, making exactly 20 free throws per game.

Last Time Out
Five players scored in double figures, including leading scorer Alex Long with 15 points, as NSU cruised to a 97-57 win over Regent University last Tuesday at Echols Hall. The Spartans shot nearly 52 percent overall while holding the Royals to 28 percent shooting.

Alex Long also had six rebounds, two blocks and two steals, while Derrik Jamerson Jr. had his first career double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Kyonze Chavis finished with 14 points with eight assists. The Spartans held a 56-39 edge on the glass.

NSU shot 56 percent in the second half after leading by 17 at the break. The Spartans held big advantages in points in the paint (48-20) and fastbreak points (21-6).

Season Trends
 • NSU has scored 47 points off turnovers the last two games and is averaging 19.4 for the season.

 • NSU is outscoring teams 19.4 - 11.0 in points off turnovers, 32.6 - 21.7 in points in the paint, 10.6 - 5.9 in fastbreak points.

 • In 5 of the first 7 games, the opposition has had more assists (+1.0 differential per game) and either the same amount or more turnovers than NSU (+5.6).

 • In 5 of the first 7 games, the Spartans have had more fouls than the other team (+2.0), and they have scored more points in the second half than the first (+6.6).

Player Tidbits
Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 7th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.4) and 11th in scoring (12.6)
 • Stands No. 190 in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (2.43)
 • Had 1st career block vs. Regent

Steven Whitley
 • Ranks 11th in the MEAC in assists (2.8) and 25th in scoring (9.8)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 172 in assists (208) and No. 472 in rebounds (264)
 • Averaging 13.0 points last 3 games

Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in blocks (1.9), 9th in field goal percentage (51.2) and rebounds (5.4), 10th in defensive rebounds (3.9), and 13th in free throw percentage (66.7)
 • Stands No. 75 in the nation in blocks (1.86)
 • Second all-time at NSU in blocks (178)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks 8th in blocks (178), No. 24 in block average (1.73), No. 56 in rebounds (559) and No. 93 in games played (103)

Alex Long
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in blocks (1.1) and 11th in field goal percentage (48.9)
 • Stands No. 236 in the nation in blocks (1.14)
 • Stands 4th all-time at NSU in blocks (111)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 42 in blocks (111), No. 45 in games played (106) and No. 77 in rebounds (519)
 • Shooting 15-of-25 last 4 games and averaging 13.0 points and 2.0 steals last 2 games

Mastadi Pitt
 • Ranks 15th in the MEAC in assists (2.7)

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in offensive rebounds (2.0), 15th in 3-point field goals (1.9) and 16th in rebounding (5.0)
 • Stands No. 131 in the nation in double-doubles (1)
 • Ranks 8th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (39.5), 19th in 3-point field goal attempts (223) and 20th in 3-point field goals (88)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 348 in 3-pointers (88)
 • Had career-high 13 rebounds and 1st career double-double with 14 points against Regent

C.J. Kelly
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in blocks (0.9)
 • Totaled career-high 5 rebounds and 4 blocks vs Regent

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Had career high of 4 rebounds vs. Regent

Armani Branch
 • Set a new career high with 3 assists vs. Regent

Kyonze Chavis
 • Shot career-best 5-of-7 against Regent with career-highs 14 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks

Chris Ford
 • Scored 1st career points vs. Regent

Big Wins
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. Coupled with the win over Regent, it is also the first time in the D-I era the Spartans won three games in a season by at least 25 points.

Early Season Notes
 • NSU had 13 blocks against Regent, tied for the second-most all-time at NSU next to the school record of 17. The Spartans also had 56 rebounds against the Royals, tied for the fifth-most in a game in NSU's Division I history.

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans sit 1st in the MEAC in scoring defense (61.4), field goal percentage defense (37.0), turnover margin (+5.57), and blocks (5.4), 2nd in scoring margin (+11.4), 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.0), and defensive rebound percentage (73.0), and 3rd in rebounding margin (+0.4).

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State ranks 20th in field goal percentage defense (37.0), 21st in turnover margin (+5.6), 23rd in turnovers forced (18.29), 24th in blocks (5.4), 32nd in scoring defense (61.4), 36th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.0), 84th in scoring margin (+11.4), and 93rd in defensive rebounds (28.14).

Conference Domination
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Norfolk State is 87-25 in regular season MEAC play, a 77.7 winning percentage. Among all D-I programs, that mark ranks NSU 14th in the nation in conference winning percentage during that time (See table page 6).

At 87-25 (46-10 at home, 41-15 on the road), NSU is ahead of North Carolina Central (85-27) for the best record in the league since 2011. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 97-31, while the Eagles are 98-31 during that time.

NSU also owns a 137-108 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (151-87).