NORFOLK, Va. - The quest toward a MEAC title starts on Monday night when the No. 5 seed Norfolk State men's basketball team takes on No. 12 seed Maryland Eastern Shore at 9 p.m. in the tournament first round at Norfolk Scope Arena.

NSU ended the regular season tied for fourth in the MEAC standings at 11-5 as well as 13-18 overall. The Hawks went 3-13 in the league as part of a 7-24 overall campaign. The winner advances to the quarterfinal round on Thursday at 8 p.m. against the winner of the No. 4 seed North Carolina A&T-No. 13 seed Delaware State first round game.

Media Coverage
All games during the MEAC tournament will be available through ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.

The game against Maryland Eastern Shore will also be broadcast live on Famous 1310 AM as well as Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Matt Michalec on the call. Live audio is available through www.wgh1310.com as well as hot91.nsu.edu:8000/128. Both feeds are available on smartphones through the Famous 1310 website or through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB") for Hot 91.1.

Fans can also follow along with the live stats.

Series History
The Spartans have a commanding lead in the all-time series, 45-17, having won 10 of the last 11. They have met three times in the MEAC tournament, with the Spartans winning all three games. The last time came in the 2014 tournament, a 78-74 NSU win. The Hawks won the first five meetings and seven of the first eight in the series, which began in 1953-54. The Spartans once won 15 in a row over MDES from the 2001-02 season into the 2008-09 campaign.

Scouting Maryland Eastern Shore
The Hawks are coming off a 12-point win over Delaware State last Monday to give them their third MEAC win of the season. In fact, all seven of their wins have come either at home or on a neutral site court. They own a 0-18 true road record this season. Four players do score in double figures, with Tyler Jones first up with 12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Logan McIntosh (11.9 points, 4.6 assists), Miryne Thomas (11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds) and Ahmad Frost (10.9 points) also reach double figures, although the Hawks do score just 62 points per game while giving up 77. In fact, they only shoot 38 percent overall and 28 percent from deep. Opponents hold the rebounding edge by an average of 6.2 boards and also turn it over only 11 times per game against MDES. Opponents also hit 47 percent overall and 36 percent from deep against the Hawks.

Last Time Out
Hampton scored the last eight points of the game after the Spartans had taken their first lead all night, as NSU did not score in the last three and a half minutes in a 74-71 loss to Hampton in the Battle of the Bay on Thursday. The Pirates clinched a share of the MEAC regular season title after leading the entire first half and the first 13 and a half minutes of the second half. The Spartans used a 16-6 run to go up by five with 3:37 left before Hampton rallied for the win. Steven Whitley totaled 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting with five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Mastadi Pitt was the only other Spartan in double figures with 10. Kalin Fisher shot 10-of-17 for 23 points with eight rebounds to lead Hampton, which swept the season series from NSU for the first time since 2013-14. The Pirates shot 47 percent overall compared to 42 percent for the Spartans.

Player Tidbits
Alex Long
 • Averaging 7.4 rebounds last 13 games
 • Tied career high with 4 assists at Howard in career-best 38 minutes; Had 16 points and 15 rebounds for 3rd double-double of season, 5th of career, and his 2nd most rebounds in a game ever
 • Stands 9th in the MEAC in field goal % (51.6), 11th in blocks (0.9), 14th in rebounding (5.9) and 15th in offensive rebounds (1.8)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 8th in field goal % (52.2), 10th in rebounding (7.0) and defensive rebounds (4.9), 12th in offensive rebounds (2.1), and 14th in blocks (0.9)
 • Ranks 15th in NSU D-I season records in field goal % (51.6)
 • Stands 5th all-time at NSU in blocks (102)
 • Ranks No. 249 in NCAA career records in rebounds (480)

Kyle Williams
 • Ranks 8th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (38.1) and 11th in 3-point field goals (1.9)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 11th in 3-point field goal % (39.0) and 15th in 3-point field goals (2.0)
 • Stands 15th in NSU D-I season records in 3-point field goal % (38.2) 
 • Ranks 12th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (37.0), 14th in 3-point field goals (100) and 15th in 3-point field goal attempts (270)

Preston Bungei
 • Averaging 7.4 rebounds the last 9 games and 11.1 points on 33-of-66 shooting the last 8 games
 • 16 of his last 18 from the free throw line
 • Had 3rd career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Howard
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in defensive rebounds (4.5), 13th in rebounding (6.0) and 15th in blocks (0.7)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 11th in defensive rebounds (4.8) and 13th in rebounding (6.7)

Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 14.3 points last 11 games, and 7.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds last 6 games
 • Tallied career-highs of 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting against Hampton
 • Ranks 3rd in the MEAC in steals (1.6), 6th in assists (4.6), 7th in assist-turnover ratio (1.5), 13th in defensive rebounds (4.4), 15th in rebounding (5.7) and 19th in scoring (12.0)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 5th in assist-turnover ratio (1.8), 6th in assists (5.3) and 28th in scoring (12.3)
 • Stands No. 103 in the nation in assists (4.6) No. 121 in steals (1.58) and No. 190 in double doubles (5)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU D-I season records in assist average (4.61), 5th in assists (143) and 14th in steals (49); Also ranks 15th in overall seaon records in assists (143)

Mastadi Pitt
 • Averaging 10.0 points last 2 games, shooting 4-of-9 from 3-point range
 • Ranks 15th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (35.7)

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (39.5) and 6th in 3-point field goals (2.3)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 6th in 3-point field goal % (42.2) and 7th in 3-point field goals (2.4)
 • Stands No. 211 in the nation in 3-point field goals (2.26)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU D-I season records and 5th in overall records in 3-point field goals (70), 8th and 10th in 3-point field goal attempts (177) and 8th in 3-point field goal % (39.5)
 • Ranks 8th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (39.5)

Nic Thomas
 • Tied career high with 6 rebounds against Hampton
 • Ranks 8th in the MEAC in free throw % (79.3)
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 10th in free throw % (80.7) and 14th in 3-point field goal % (36.1)
 • Stands No. 222 in the nation in free throw % (79.3)
 • Stands 12th in NSU D-I season records in free throw % (79.3)

Stavian Allen
 • Averaging 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds last 12 games

Dan Robinson
 • Had career-high 10 points at Howard, hitting career-best 4-of-5 from the free throw line
 • Ranks 12th in the MEAC in blocks (0.8) 
 • In MEAC games only, ranked 7th in blocks (1.0)

Bryan Gellineau
 • Averaging 9.0 points on 19-of-29 shooting last 5 games and 3.1 rebounds last 9 games

Spartan Team Tidbits
 • Over the past 14 games, Norfolk State is shooting 45.0 percent overall and 36.5 percent from 3-point range, averaging 77.5 points per game. In the last 13 games, the opposition has shot 37.7 percent overall and 30.7 from deep.

 • The Spartans have tallied 35.7 points in the paint, 18.5 points off turnovers and 15.2 second-chance points the past six games. They are also +73 on the glass during that time.

 • Norfolk State is chasing a pair of school records. The Spartans are currently shooting 35.4 percent from 3-point range, with the school record of 35.7 set in 1998-99. With 237 total 3-pointers, they are also on pace to top the school record of 242 3-pointers set in 2015-16.

 • Norfolk State has been a second half team. They have scored more points in the second half than the first in 24 of 31 games, with a 39.7-32.8 points per half discrepancy (+6.9) from the second to the first. Opponents, as well, have scored the same amount or more points in the second half compared to the first half in 23 of 31 games (38.4-34.6, +3.8).

 • The Spartans also have a +2.5 rebounding margin after the break compared to a +0.5 margin before. They also shoot 45.1 percent in second halves compared to 40.6 in first halves, including a 37.3-33.2 discrepancy in 3-point shooting.

 • Seven different players have led NSU in scoring this year: Derrik Jamerson Jr. (6), Alex Long, Mastadi Pitt, Nic Thomas and Steven Whitley (5), Kyle Williams (4), and Preston Bungei (2).

 • NSU is 1-17 this year when opponents shoot at least 40 percent overall, and 5-16 when the opposition scores at least 70 points. Maryland Eastern Shore was the first team this year to hit at least 40 percent against NSU but still not win. The Spartans are also 1-15 when the opponent shoots better from the floor and 3-12 when the opposition shoots better from 3-point range.

 • In 21 of 31 games this year, the opposition has hit at least eight 3-pointers, including double digits in 16 games.

 • So far this year, Norfolk State has had more fouls than the other team in 22 out of 31 games. Opponents have shot at least 20 free throws in 17 of the last 21 games.

 • The Spartans used five different starting lineups in the first six games and 11 different combinations altogether this season.

 • NSU ranks first in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (35.4) and field goal percentage defense (41.5), second in scoring defense (73.5), defensive rebound percentage (70.9), and offensive rebound percentage (33.5), and third in rebounding margin (+3.0) and blocks (3.5).

 • In conference games only, NSU ranked first in the MEAC in scoring defense (70.9), field goal percentage defense (38.4), 3-point field goal percentage (36.5), rebounding (42.9), rebounding margin (+7.2), defensive rebound percentage (71.9) and offensive rebound percentage (36.1), second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (31.4), offensive rebounds (13.7), defensive rebounds (29.3) and blocks (3.4), and third in scoring margin (+5.5). 

 • On a national level, NSU stands No. 21 in offensive rebounds (12.65), No. 33 in rebounds (38.84), No. 43 in turnovers forced (14.97), No. 47 in field goal percentage defense (41.5), No. 77 in rebound margin (3.0), No. 110 in defensive rebounds (26.19), and No. 148 in blocks (3.5).

Conference Standings
NSU has finished fourth or better in the MEAC in 11 of the last 12 seasons.

MEAC Tournament History
Last year marked the third time ever NSU advanced to the MEAC Championship game. The Spartans lost as the No. 3 seed in 2009 to top seed Morgan State and as the No. 2 seed in 2017 to top seed North Carolina Central. The Spartans also won it all in 2012 as a No. 2 seed before going on to defeat No. 2 seed Missouri in the NCAA Tournament.

NSU has been to the semifinals of the MEAC tournament eight times in the last 10 seasons. The Spartans have been a No. 4 seed or better in nine of the last 11 years. This season marks the first time in seven years the Spartans were not at least a No. 4 seed.

All-Conference
Last year, for the ninth time in 10 seasons, NSU had a first-team all-conference player. In 2017, it was guard Jonathan Wade. This year marks the first time in 15 years the Spartans did not have  at least one all-conference player.