LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Following a busy first month of the season, the Norfolk State men's basketball took more than a week off for finals. With the semester over, the Spartans are back at it on Wednesday when they travel to Rider for a 7 p.m. contest at Alumni Gym.

It is one of six games the Spartans will play in December, all on the road.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, available through the WatchESPN app. Fans can also follow along with the live stats.

Series History
NSU and Rider have never met in their basketball history.

Scouting Rider
The Broncs stand just 2-3 on the season, and this will only be their second game at home following a 20-point win over Coppin State in mid-November. Rider is gearing up for a four-game stretch that will be part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic. All four games will be played in a seven-day span.

Most recently, Rider fell by 16 at Hofstra, and its record also includes 14-point losses to UCF and West Virginia and a 24-point win at Wagner. The Broncs come in averaging 79 points per game while giving up the exact same amount. They have averaged nine 3-pointers per game, shooting 45 percent from deep and 47 percent overall.

Dimencio Vaughn is one of five starters back from a team that went to the NIT last year after finishing 22-10 and 15-3 in the MAAC for a regular season first-place finish. Vaughn averages 15.8 points and 6.2 rebounds, while Jordan Allen is second on the team at 13.4 points with a team-leading 17 treys. Frederick Scott (11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds) and Stevie Jordan (10.4 points, 5.2 assists) also get in on the action. They are four of the team's six players who have made a 3-pointer on the year, and all are shooting at least 42 percent from deep. They do, however, make just 55 percent from the free throw line.

Last Time Out
NSU matched Kent State's strong second half, but KSU's nine-point lead at the half held up in a 78-67 win over the Spartans on Dec. 1 at the M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio. KSU made 58 percent in the second half, going up by as much as 18 before NSU got to within six midway through the second period.

Alex Long had a career-high 24 points for the Spartans, shooting 11-of-17 overall with 10 rebounds. Nic Thomas added 14 points, including 13 in the second half. Long had 18 after halftime as well, as NSU tallied 46 points in the second half after falling behind 30-21 at the intermission.

NSU made just 29 percent in the first half and 53 percent after halftime. The Spartans committed 21 turnovers, and KSU benefitted from a 10-of-25 effort from the 3-point line.

Season Trends
 • NSU is averaging 20.4 points off turnovers the last five games, and 12.0 second-chance points and 13.8 fastbreak points the last 4 games

 • NSU is outscoring teams 19.1 - 12.8 in points off turnovers, 31.6 - 23.2 in points in the paint, and 10.8 - 6.7 in fastbreak points.

 • In 7 of the first 10 games, the opposition has had either the same amount or more turnovers than NSU (+3.8). NSU has also had more fouls than the other team in 7 of 10 games as well.

 • In 7 of the first 10 games, the Spartans have scored more points in the second half than the first (+6.9). They also shoot better in the second half (44.4 - 40.9), as do opponents (42.9 - 35.2).

 • NSU is averaging 7.0 steals the last 5 games, 6.3 blocks the last 4 games and 25 made free throws the last 3 games.

Player Facts
Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.6), 7th in scoring (14.5), 8th in free throw % (78.4) and 10th in 3-point field goal % (38.8)
 • Stands No. 113 in the nation in 3-point field goal % (38.8), No. 122 in 3-point field goals per game (2.60) and No. 249 in free throw % (78.4)
 • Averaging 16.8 points and shooting 21-of-26 from the foul line last 5 games
 • Named MEAC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 4

Steven Whitley
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in steals (1.4), 11th in assists (2.9), 13th in defensive rebounds (3.6) and 22nd in scoring (10.1)
 • Ranks 6th all-time at NSU in assist average (4.29)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 177 in assists (217) and No. 481 in rebounds (279)
 • Averaging 11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals last 6 games

Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.9), 10th in free throw % (78.0), 13th in rebounds (5.1) and offensive rebounds (1.8), and 29th in scoring (8.9)
 • Stands No. 61 in the nation in blocks (1.90)
 • Second all-time at NSU in blocks (184)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks 8th in blocks (184), No. 25 in block average (1.74), No. 57 in rebounds (572) and No. 108 in games played (106)
 • Averaging 9.7 points and 5.5 rebounds last 6 games
 • 21-of-23 from the free throw line last 3 games

Alex Long
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in blocks (1.2), 6th in field goal % (53.9), 20th in rebounding (4.4) and 25th in scoring (9.9)
 • Stands No. 180 in the nation in blocks (1.20) and No. 221 in double-doubles (1)
 • Stands 4th all-time at NSU in blocks (115) and 20th in games played (109)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 42 in blocks (115), No. 53 in games played (109) and No. 86 in rebounds (532)
 • Shooting 33-of-54 last 6 games (61.1%) and averaging 13.0 points and 1.4 blocks last 5 games
 • Set new career high with 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting at Kent State; Finished with 10 rebounds for 1st double-double this year and 6th in his career

Mastadi Pitt
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.5) and 9th in assists (3.0)
 • Stands No. 85 in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (2.45)
 • Averaging 12.7 points last 3 games
 • Has at least 3 assists in 8 of 9 games played

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Stands No. 221 in the nation in double-doubles (1)
 • Ranks 8th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (39.3), 19th in 3-point field goal attempts (229) and 20th in 3-point field goals (90)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 376 in 3-pointers (90)

Kyonze Chavis
 • Set career high with 4 rebounds at Kent State

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans sit 1st in the MEAC in field goal percentage defense (38.9), 2nd in scoring defense (67.6), scoring margin (+6.8), 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.9), blocks (5.0), defensive rebounds (27.4) and defensive rebound percentage (72.5), and 3rd in scoring offense (74.4) and turnover margin (+3.80).

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State ranks 28th in turnovers forced (17.20), 36th in blocks (5.0), 37th in field goal percentage defense (38.9), 45th in turnover margin (+3.6), 86th in scoring defense (67.6), 93rd in 3-point field goal percentage defense (30.9) and 96th in defensive rebounds (27.40).

Conference Standings
NSU has finished fourth or better in the MEAC in 11 of the last 12 seasons, including the last 7 straight seasons. Only 15 other teams in Division I have a longer streak than NSU of finishing in the top 4 of their respective conference standings.

O'Quinn in the NBA
Former Spartan Kyle O'Quinn is now in his seven year in the NBA and the first with the Indiana Pacers. He became NSU's first NBA player in 25 years after getting drafted in the second round in 2012 by the Orlando Magic. Last year, O'Quinn averaged career highs of 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per game while with the New York Knicks.

Professional Spartans
Aside from O'Quinn, NSU will have nine other players competing professionally. Michael Deloach (CS Dinamo Bucuresti of the Romanian National League), Pendarvis Williams (BG Goettingen of the German Basketball Bundesliga), Chris McEachin (Stade Rochelais Basket of the French NM1 League), and Jonathan Wade (Pully Basket of the Switzerland Basketball League) will all be entering at least their second year in Europe.

Anell Alexis (Universitarios De Panama of the Panamanian Basketball League) will be returning to Panama where he played previously, and D'Shon Taylor will play for the second year in a row in the Bahamas. Three players who finished their NSU careers last year also will compete overseas: Preston Bungei (KK Jazine-Arbanasi Zadar of the Croatian Telecom Premier League), Kyle Williams (Newcastle Eagles ESH Group of the British Basketball League) and Dan Robinson (La Gallofa Cantbasket of the Spanish EBA League).