NORFOLK, Va. - MEAC play kicks off this Saturday, and the Norfolk State men's basketball team finds itself home for the first weekend of conference play. Up first, the Spartans host Delaware State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.

NSU will also take on Florida A&M on Monday at 8 p.m. as it plays three of its first four MEAC games at home. The Spartans have not played at home in more than a month.

Media Coverage
The games will be broadcast live on Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Woube Gebre 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
NSU and Delaware State have met just once per season over the last five years. The Spartans have won six of the past seven in the series dating back to the 2012-13 season. Before that, DSU had won five in a row and 14 of the past 16 games. Last year's meeting, 93-58 in favor of the Spartans, marked their biggest win ever in MEAC play.

The win streak is now 14 in a row for the Spartans over Florida A&M, which dates back to the 2006-07 season. They have also won seven in a row at home over the Rattlers, whose last win at Echols Hall came in 2004-05. Overall, NSU leads the all-time series, 19-9.

Scouting Delaware State
The Hornets stand 3-10 so far this year under new head coach Eric Skeeters, with their only Division I win a 73-71 triumph at Delaware. DSU scores just 64 points per game while giving up 81.5 each time out.

Of course, the Hornets shoot just 35 percent from the floor. They also hit 33 percent from deep, averaging nearly nine treys per contest. Kevin Larkin does a lot of the heavy lifting, averaging 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Saleik Edwards also scores in double figures at 12.2 points and has made almost three 3-pointers per game as well.

Opponents shoot 46 percent overall, 36 percent from long range and average nine treys per game.  DSU has also been outrebounded by an average of 7.2 boards per game.

Scouting Florida A&M
The Rattlers own a 3-12 record heading into the weekend, with their only D-I win coming in the season opener at Jacksonville, 65-50. FAMU is a team that scores only 60 points per game but allows a respectable 70.5 as well.

Thanks in part to Justin Ravenel, who makes three 3-pointers per game while shooting 48 percent from deep, the Rattlers make 38 percent from 3-point range as a team. Rod Melton (18-of-33, 54.5 percent) also contributes in that category.

Melton averages 7.8 points per game, while M.J. Randolph tallies 8.1 points while shooting 59 percent overall. Ravenel is the team's top scorer at 13.8 points per contest. On the glass, however, opponents have owned the Rattlers there to the tune of +6.3 rebounds per game.

Last Time Out
Niagara led for nearly 38 minutes in the game, and an eight-point halftime lead stood up in an 83-75 win over NSU last Saturday at the Gallagher Center in New York. Niagara made 10 3-pointers, including eight in the first half. The Purple Eagles also made 14-of-18 from the free throw line in the second half.

NSU shot 46 percent from the field and made 8-of-19 from deep. Niagara, which led by as much as 15 in the second half, made 44 percent from the floor.

Mastad Pitt led NSU with 18 points, including 15 in the second half. He made 7-of-10 overall, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Both Nic Thomas and Steven Whitley (13 points each) and Jordan Butler (12 points) also reached double figures.

Season Trends
 • In the last five games alone, the Spartans are hitting 43-of-104 from deep (41.3 percent).

 • NSU is averaging 5.4 blocks and 6.6 steals the last 9 games. The Spartans are -44 on the glass the last 4 games.

 • NSU is outscoring teams 17.6 - 14.8 in points off turnovers, 28.9 - 25.9 in points in the paint, and 9.3 - 7.9 in fastbreak points on the year.

 • In 9 of the first 15 games, the opposition has had either the same amount or more turnovers than NSU (+1.5). NSU has also had more fouls than the other team in 12 of 15 games as well, including the last seven.

 • In 11 of the first 15 games, the Spartans have scored more points in the second half than the first (+6.8). They also shoot better in the second half (44.9 - 40.6), as do opponents (44.2 - 40.1). NSU is also -2.8 on the glass in the first half and -0.3 in the second.

 • The Spartans are currently 0-9 when allowing at least 40 percent shooting and 2-10 when allowing at least 60 points.

Player Facts
Nic Thomas
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.4), 7th in scoring (13.8), 8th in free throw % (75.8) and 12th in 3-point field goal % (36.7)
 • Stands No. 169 in the nation in 3-point field goals per game (2.40)
 • Stands 10th all-time at NSU in free throw % (77.9)
 • Averaging 2.9 assists last 7 games

Steven Whitley
 • Ranks 6th in the MEAC in steals (1.5), 15th in assists (2.7) and defensive rebounds (3.6), and 29th in scoring (8.8)
 • Stands No. 249 in the nation in steals (1.46)
 • Ranks 8th all-time at NSU in assist average (4.11)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 186 in assists (226) and No. 485 in rebounds (294)
 • Averaging 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals last 9 games played

Jordan Butler
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in blocks (1.9), 7th in free throw % (76.9), 9th in rebounds (5.7), 10th in defensive rebounds (3.9), 12th in field goal percentage (45.9) and 27th in scoring (9.1)
 • Stands No. 52 in the nation in blocks (1.92)
 • Second all-time at NSU in blocks (190)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks 9th in blocks (190), No. 28 in block average (1.74), No. 60 in rebounds (595) and No. 137 in games played (109)

Alex Long
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in blocks (1.1) and 8th in field goal % (49.1)
 • Stands No. 238 in the nation in blocks (1.07)
 • Stands 4th all-time at NSU in blocks (119) and 14th in games played (114)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 38 in games played (114), No. 45 in blocks (119) and No. 88 in rebounds (550)
 • Has 9 assists last 5 games

Mastadi Pitt
 • Ranks 9th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (37.2) and 10th in assists (2.9)
 • Stands 14th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (36.4)
 • Averaging 15.7 points last 3 games on 16-of-26 shooting, 8-of-14 from deep
 • Has had either 3 or 4 assists in 12 of 14 games played
 • Tied career high by hitting 7-of-10 at Niagara

Derrik Jamerson Jr.
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal % (42.3) and 8th in 3-point field goals per game (2.0)
 • Ranks 6th all-time at NSU in 3-point field goal % (40.5), 14th in 3-point field goals (105) and 19th in 3-point field goal attempts (259)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 335 in 3-pointers (105)
 • Averaging 11.0 points last 5 games on 18-of-36 shooting, 15-of-30 from deep

C.J. Kelly
 • Ranks 15th in the MEAC in blocks (0.7)
 • Averaging 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds last 3 games
 • Tied career high with 5 rebounds at Niagara

Armani Branch
 • Has 12 rebounds and 5 blocks last 3 games

BJ Fitzgerald
 • Has 8 points and 5 rebounds last 3 games

Chris Ford
 • Has 11 points and 13 rebounds last 6 games

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans sit 1st in the MEAC in field goal percentage defense (41.9) and blocks (4.9), 2nd in scoring defense (71.4) and scoring margin (+0.3), and 3rd in 3-point field goal percentage (34.6) and turnover margin (+1.53).

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State ranks 30th in blocks (4.9), 51st in turnovers forced (16.13), No. 109 in field goal percentage defense (41.9), and No. 126 in turnover margin (+1.4).

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.

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 139-114 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (154-91).

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.

Conference Streak
Last year, NSU secured its 20th straight season with a .500 or better conference record in its Division I era. In fact, in Norfolk State's 63 seasons in either the EIAC, CIAA or the MEAC, the program has had just one losing conference record (9-10 in the CIAA in 1990-91).

NSU ranks eighth in the nation for the longest streak of .500-or-better conference records in a row in D-I. NSU has posted 26 straight .500 or better conference records, dating back to that 1990-91 campaign.

Every other team in the MEAC has had at least one losing conference record since 2014-15.

Series Edge
NSU has a winning record against every school in the MEAC, with several of those series covering a lot of ground in the Division II era. The Spartans' closest rival over the years has been North Carolina A&T (25-22).