NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The last non-conference game of the season finds the Norfolk State men's basketball team up north as the Spartans head to Niagara for a Saturday afternoon contest. Tip-off from the Gallagher Center is set for 3 p.m. as the teams face off for the third straight year.

Media Coverage
The contest will be shown live through Niagara's website, purpleeagles.com/watch. Fans can also follow along with the live stats.

Series History
NSU and Niagara have met each of the last two years and three times altogether. The Purple Eagles have won all three meetings, including 85-82 last year at Echols Hall on a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left. They also won two seasons ago, 65-61 at the Gallagher Center. The teams also met in the 2009 Sun Bowl Invitational.

Scouting Niagara
The Purple Eagles stand 6-5 this year after their most recent game, a 78-66 win at Army last Saturday. Niagara also has a one-point win over Pitt this year, and like NSU, fell to Loyola Chicago earlier this season (75-62).

Niagara is shooting just 39 percent overall, including 29 percent from 3-point range. They are hitting 76 percent from the charity stripe and averaging just 12.4 turnovers per game.

Marvin Prochet is a big part of the team's success, averaging 18.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game despite missing a few games earlier in the year. He also averaged three 3-pointers per game while shooting 42 percent from deep. James Towns is next up at 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, while Dominic Robb contributes 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per contest. Keleaf Tate (9.6) is almost in double figures in scoring too.

Last Time Out
East Tennessee State made eight straight 3-pointers near the start of the game, and the Buccaneers never looked back in an 89-61 win over NSU last Saturday in the Sun Bowl Invitational championship game in El Paso, Texas.

ETSU shot 12-of-24 from long range and 53 percent overall. The Bucs also outscored NSU 36-12 in points in the paint. They led 23-9 early on, by 15 at the half and by as much as 31 late in the game.

Derrik Jamerson Jr. was the only NSU player in double figures, knocking down 6-of-9 from deep for a 20-point night. Tray Boyd shot 6-of-8 from 3-point range for ETSU as he finished with 24 points. The Bucs also held a 43-24 edge on the glass.

Season Trends
 • NSU is averaging 5.5 blocks and 7.1 steals the last 8 games. Included in there was a season-high 12 steals at Loyola. The Spartans are averaging 18.7 points off turnovers but are -49 on the glass the last 3 games.

 • In the last four games alone, the Spartans are hitting 35-of-85 from deep (41.2 percent).

 • NSU is outscoring teams 18.0 - 14.8 in points off turnovers, 28.6 - 25.4 in points in the paint, and 9.4 - 7.7 in fastbreak points on the year.

 • In 9 of the first 14 games, the opposition has had either the same amount or more turnovers than NSU (+2.1). NSU has also had more fouls than the other team in 11 of 14 games as well, including the last six.

 • In 10 of the first 14 games, the Spartans have scored more points in the second half than the first (+6.9). They also shoot better in the second half (44.9 - 40.0), as do opponents (44.3 - 39.6).

 • The Spartans are currently 0-8 when allowing at least 40 percent shooting and 2-9 when allowing at least 60 points.

Player Facts
Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.4), 7th in scoring (13.9), 9th in free throw % (75.0) and 13th in 3-point field goal % (36.7)
 • Stands No. 184 in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (2.36)
 • Stands 13th all-time at NSU in free throw % (77.6)
 • Averaging 2.7 assists last 6 games

Steven Whitley
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in steals (1.6), 13th in assists (2.8) and 15th in free throw percentage (60.3)
 • Stands No. 189 in the nation in steals (1.58)
 • Ranks 7th all-time at NSU in assist average (4.16)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 178 in assists (224) and No. 486 in rebounds (289)
 • Averaging 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals last 8 games played

Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.9), 6th in free throw % (76.9) 12th in rebounds (5.4), 13th in defensive rebounds (3.8), 15th in offensive rebounds (1.7) and 28th in scoring (8.8)
 • Stands No. 54 in the nation in blocks (1.92)
 • Second all-time at NSU in blocks (188)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks 9th in blocks (188), No. 24 in block average (1.74), No. 60 in rebounds (586) and No. 132 in games played (108)

Alex Long
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in blocks (1.1), 8th in field goal % (50.0) and 29th in scoring (8.7)
 • Stands No. 233 in the nation in blocks (1.07)
 • Stands 4th all-time at NSU in blocks (118) and 15th in games played (113)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 36 in games played (113), No. 42 in blocks (118) and No. 83 in rebounds (548)
 • Has 9 assists last 4 games
 • Tied career high with 3 steals vs. East Tennessee State

Mastadi Pitt
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.2) and 7th in assists (3.0)
 • Stands No. 112 in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (2.17)
 • Has had either 3 or 4 assists in 12 of 13 games played
 • Set new career high with 24 points at UTEP, tying career bests by hitting 7-of-9 overall and 4-of-5 from 3-point range

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (44.1) and 8th in 3-point field goals per game (2.1)
 • Ranks 6th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (41.0), 14th in 3-point field goals (105) and 19th in 3-point field goal attempts (256)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 329 in 3-pointers (105)
 • Averaging 13.3 points last 4 games on 18-of-32 shooting, 15-of-27 from deep
 • Had season-high 20 points against East Tennessee State for 2nd career 20-point game; Tied career high by shooting 6-of-9 from deep - 14th career game with at least 4 treys
 • Sun Bowl Invitational All-Tournamen Team

C.J. Kelly
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in blocks (0.7)
 • Averaging 9.0 points last 2 games
 • Made career-best 6-of-7 from free throw line against East Tennessee State
 • Had 10 points at UTEP for 3rd career 10-point game

Armani Branch
 • Has 9 rebounds and 5 blocks last 2 games
 • Tied career high with 3 blocks at UTEP

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Went for career-high 9 points on 4-of-4 shooting at UTEP

Chris Ford
 • Has 9 points and 12 rebounds the last 5 games
 • Grabbed career-high 6 rebounds and tied career high with 2 blocks vs. East Tennessee State

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans sit 1st in the MEAC in field goal percentage defense (41.8) and blocks (4.9), 2nd in scoring defense (70.6), and 3rd in scoring margin (+0.9), 3-point field goal percentage defense (33.6) and turnover margin (+2.14).

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State ranks 33rd in blocks (4.9), 40th in turnovers forced (16.71), 95th in turnover margin (+2.0) and No. 109 in field goal percentage defense (41.8).

Predictable Numbers
Since the start of the 2015-16 season, NSU is 50-7 when shooting better than the opposition and 3-55 when the other team has a better shooting percentage.

Good from 3
Norfolk State has made a 3-pointer in 296 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.