NORFOLK, Va. - A tradition continues. The Battle of the Bay resumes this Saturday at Hampton's Convocation Center, as the Norfolk State men's basketball team takes on the Pirates for their only meeting of the season. It will be a doubleheader with the women's teams, as their game begins at 4 p.m. The NSU and Hampton men will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.

NSU won last year's meeting over the Pirates in double overtime at home to earn bragging rights for the year. The Spartans are aiming for their second straight win in the series while ending their current six-game losing streak. Hampton has dropped five in a row.

Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon and Woube Gebre on the call. Live audio is available through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB").

The game will also be shown live on ESPN+, available through the ESPN app. Fans can also follow along with the live stats.

Series History
Last year marked the first time the two teams did not play twice during the season since 1996-97, the end of a two-year gap when the squads did not play at all. With Hampton's move to the Big South last year, they will now meet once a year, alternating home and away.

The double OT victory ended Hampton's three-game win streak against NSU. The Spartans lead the all-time series by an 86-48 margin. The series is in HU's favor, 26-23, since both teams moved up to Division I. That two-year gap from 1995-97 still remains the only seasons they have not played since the series began in 1958-59.

Scouting Hampton
The Pirates are coming off two home losses this week, 80-63 to Richmond on Tuesday and 94-91 in overtime to Howard on Thursday. That dropped their record to 3-6 on the year, with all three wins coming against non-D-I foes. They've scored 80 points per game.

Hampton shoots nearly 46 percent from the floor, thanks in part to Ben Stanley knocking down 63 percent. He averages 20.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, including a 40-point game against Howard. The team's leading scorer, Jermaine Marrow, is out for a few weeks with a broken thumb. He was averaging 24.9 points.

Davion Warren (9.9 points, 5.8 rebounds) and Edward Oliver-Hampton (9.1 points) also add to the offense. The Pirates also average nearly five blocks per game. Opponents hit 42 percent from the field against HU, 35 percent from deep, and average eight 3-pointers per game.

Last Time Out
Southern Illinois made 14 3-pointers for the game, and the Salukis shot 48 percent overall in a 76-59 win over NSU on Wednesday night at the Banterra Center. NSU made 44 percent from the field, but just 6-of-20 from deep. The Spartans were down 12 at the break, got to within seven early in the second half, but SIU (4-5) pulled away from there.

Two players scored in double figures for NSU in Devante Carter (11 points) and Joe Bryant Jr. (10). The Spartans also got nine points from Jermaine Bishop, and eight each from Steven Whitley and Efstratios Kalogerias. Whitley also had six assists, five rebounds and four steals, helping NSU outscore the Salukis 32-22 in points in the paint.

Marcus Domask led Southern Illinois with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Eric McGill (14 points, seven assists) and Lance Jones (13 points, six assists, six rebounds) also chipped in. Two other players in Harwin Francois and Trent Brown each added 11 points.

Recent Trends
 • NSU is averaging 13.3 second-chance points the last three games.
 • In the last three games, the opposition has shot 76-of-167 (45.5 percent).
 • The Spartans have had at least 14 turnovers in each of the last 6 games.
 • In 6 of the Spartans' 10 games this year, they have scored the same amount or more points in the second half than the first. They did the same in 28 of 36 games last year and averaged 8.1 points more in second halves than first halves.
 • They have also had the same amount or more fouls than the opposition in 8 of 10 games this season (+1.8 in fouls per game). They did the same in 26 of 36 games last year (+2.2).

Player Facts
Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 11.5 points (20-of-44), 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals last 4 games
 • Ranks 6th all-time at NSU in assist average (4.25), 10th in assists (327) and 18th in steals (122)
 • Stands 3rd in the MEAC in assists (3.8), 4th in assist-turnover ratio (1.3), 6th in steals (1.8), and 26th in scoring (9.4)
 • Ranks No. 143 in the nation in steals (1.80) and No. 179 in assists (3.8)
 • In NCAA D-I active career leaders, ranks No. 28th in steals (146), 38th in assists (364), No. 70 in games played (108) and No. 125 in rebounds (464)

Jermaine Bishop
 • Averaging 5.7 rebounds and shooting 14-of-30 from the field, 10-of-21 from deep, last 3 games
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in 3-point field goals (2.8), 3rd in free throw % (84.0), 4th in 3-point field goal % (43.1), 5th in scoring (14.5), 9th in minutes (31.6), and 12th in assists (2.3)
 • Stands No. 52 in the nation in 3-point field goal % (43.1) and No. 64 in 3-point field goals (2.80)
 • Set new career high with 9 rebounds vs. Niagara

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Has made his first 20 free throws of the season
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in free throw % (100.0), 5th in 3-point field goal % (42.9), 8th in steals (1.6), 9th in 3-point field goals (1.8), 13th in scoring (11.6) and offensive rebounds (1.5), and 14th in field goal % (43.8)
 • Stands No. 231 in the nation in steals (1.60)

Devante Carter
 • Ranks 1st in the MEAC in field goal % (54.8), 2nd in steals (2.2), 5th in assist-turnover ratio (1.3) and assists (3.4), 14th in defensive rebounds (4.0), 16th in scoring (10.0), and 19th in rebounding (4.8)
 • Stands 55th in the nation in steals (2.20), No. 242 in double-doubles (1), and No. 249 in assists (3.4)
 • Tied career high with 7 rebounds vs. Niagara

Yoro Sidibe
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in offensive rebounds (2.2), and 18th in rebounding (4.9)
 • Stands No. 242 in the nation in double-doubles (1)

Chris Ford
 • Averaging 5.0 points on 6-of-7 shooting last 3 games
 • Ranks 5th in the MEAC in blocks (1.3)
 • Stands No. 141 in the nation in blocks (1.30)

Kashaun Hicks
 • Tied season high with 6 rebounds vs. Niagara

Kyonze Chavis
 • Averaging 5.0 points on 6-of-13 shooting last 3 games played

Tyrese Jenkins
 • Averaging 3.7 rebounds last 3 games
 • Tied career high with 4 rebounds in first career start at Southern Illinois