EVANSTON, Ill. - Norfolk State will stay in the state of Illinois for its second game of the week, as the Spartan men's basketball team takes on Northwestern on Friday at 8 p.m. EST. The game from Welsh-Ryan Arena will take place as part of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Tournament.

NSU stayed in the Prairie State after falling at Bradley on Tuesday, also part of the tournament. The Spartans will head to Monmouth next week for a pair of games to close out the tourney.

Media Coverage
Fans can catch the game live on BTN+, a subscription service available through BTNPlus.com and the BTN+ app. Live stats will also be available.

Series History
This will mark the first ever meeting between NSU and Northwestern, the sixth of nine teams this year the Spartans will play for the first time ever.

Scouting Northwestern
The Wildcats stand 1-2 on the season, having beaten Providence while also falling to Merrimack and Radford, all at home. The contest against Radford on Tuesday saw NU fall behind by as much as 21 in the second half before losing 67-56. Northwestern is coming off a 13-19 overall season last year.

NU has hit just 39 percent from the field, 23 percent from deep, in scoring just 63.0 points per game to start the year. Opponents have not fared much better, connecting on 38 percent overall and 31 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats have also been -3.3 in turnover margin so far.

Pete Nance paces the Wildcat squad with 14.7 points and 10.0 rebounds. Miller Kopp is also in double figures with 12.0 points. Two more starters in Pat Spencer (9.7 points, 4.0 assists) and Ryan Young (9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds) also play a part on offense.

Last Time Out
The Spartans held the lead for nearly 13 minutes in the first half against Bradley. The Braves, however, closed the half on a run and held off the Spartans for the rest of the game in a 69-57 victory on Tuesday night at Carver Arena. BU's lead never got more than the final margin of 12, and NSU got as close as two in the latter half of the second stanza.

Five players scored in double figures for the Braves (3-1), who shot 50 percent in the second half after NSU did the same in the first. The Spartans made 40 percent for the game, but just 20 percent (4-of-20) from deep.

Joe Bryant Jr. led NSU with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, and Jermaine Bishop added 14 points as well. For Bradley, Koch Bar tallied 15 points and eight rebounds, while Darrell Brown went for 13 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State stands 23rd in scoring margin (+23.0), 24th in steals (10.6) and turnovers forced (19.60), 31st in 3-point field goal % defense (25.0), 44th in scoring offense (83.6), 49th in 3-point field goals (9.6), 65th in 3-point field goal % (37.8), and 67th in scoring defense (60.6).

Player Facts
Steven Whitley
 • Preseason All-MEAC Second Team
 • Ranks 7th all-time at NSU in assist average (4.19) and 13th in assists (296)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 30th in steals (136), 41st in assists (339), No. 93 in games played (103) and No. 117 in rebounds (444)

Jermaine Bishop
 • Stands 98th in the nation in 3-point field goal % (41.9) and No. 122 in 3-point field goals (2.60)
 • Made career high 5 3-pointers for 21 points vs. Apprentice School, 5th career 20-point game

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Stands No. 105 in the nation in steals (2.20), No. 143 in field goal % (54.3), and No. 168 in 3-point field goals (2.40)
 • Played in career high 32 minutes at Bradley with 17 points
 • Posted career highs 25 points vs. Apprentice School, shooting 10-of-12 overall and 5-of-6 from deep, the latter tied for the 2nd-best % in school history (minimum 5 makes); Also set new career best with 6 steals
 • Set new career high by shooting 6-of-6 from the free throw line at Ole Miss
 • Tied career high with 3 assists vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Devante Carter
 • Stands 31st in the nation in steals (2.80), 66th in assists (5.0), No. 112 in double-doubles (1) and No. 173 in assist-turnover ratio (2.08)
 • Tallied double-double of 16 points and 10 assists vs. Apprentice School; Also had 7 steals, one short of tying the school record of 8 and the most by an NSU player since January of 2010

Yoro Sidibe
 • Stands 62nd in the nation in offensive rebounds (3.50) and No. 112 in double-doubles (1)
 • Had first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds vs. Greensboro

Chris Ford
 • Stands 82nd in the nation in blocks (1.80)
 • Set new career high with 3 blocks vs. Apprentice School
 • Had career-high 11 points on career-best 4-of-4 shooting against Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Kashaun Hicks
 • Tied career high by hitting 3 3-pointers vs. Apprentice School

Kyonze Chavis
 • Tied career high with 2 steals at Ole Miss