NORFOLK, Va. -- The Norfolk State women's basketball team has a quick turnaround after Thursday's 49-46 win against Longwood, turning their attention to the Hampton Pirates in the 97^th meeting of the Battle of the Bay between the two historic rivals. Saturday's doubleheader features both Spartan basketball teams, with the women tipping off at 4 p.m. and the men at 6 p.m.

Last Meeting vs. Hampton
The last meeting between these two teams was in the 2017-18 season, when the Pirates visited Echols Hall in a 70-56 NSU defeat.
 
Series History vs. Hampton
This will be the 97th overall matchup against the Pirates, and the sixth time during head coach Larry Vickers' tenure. NSU is 38-58 all-time versus the Pirates, and 2-3 under Vickers.
 
Hampton dominated the early part of this decade with 10 straight wins from 2010-2014, but neither team has been able to win back-to-back games in the past five years.
 
A Win over Hampton Would...
Give the Spartans their fourth straight win, and snap a one-game losing against the Pirates.
 
Would be the most successful start in the Larry Vickers era, winning six of their first nine games. 
 
Scouting The Pirates
Hampton are led by a trio of guards who are averaging double-figures in scoring. Laren VanArsdale leads the Pirates with 18 points per game and 5 assists per game. Ashley Bates is second with 17.3 points per game, and second in rebounds with six per game.Makayla Timmons rounds out the high-scoring trio, averaging 14 points per game.
 
In the frontcourt, 6-2 Charlisa Jenkins will be a tough matchup down low. Jenkins leads the team with eight rebounds per game and chipping in 7.5 points per game. Nylah Young rounds out Hampton's starting five, averaging 5.5 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game.

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.
 
Last Time Out
The Norfolk State women's basketball team won another game in comeback fashion, defeating the Longwood Lancers 49-46 at Echols Hall on Thursday night. It was the third straight win for NSU, and fourth straight in the series versus the Lancers.

Tied at 44-44, Spartans' senior guard Chanette Hicks drained a go-ahead layup with 2:55 remaining in the game to put NSU up by two. After trailing for most of the game the Spartans held the lead for the remainder of regulation to hold on for the win. Longwood had a chance with four seconds left to tie the score and send the game to overtime, but the Spartans defense stymied the Lancers during the final possession and throughout the course of the contest in a low-scoring affair. 
 
The Players
Hicks continues to pace the Spartans in scoring, dropping 23 points in the win over Longwood. Hicks leads the team averaging 21.4 points per game, also leading the MEAC in that category. Hicks is now ranked 9th nationally in points per game.

La'Deja James ranks second in scoring for NSU with 12.8 points per game, while adding five rebounds per game.  James scored a career high 29 points against Va. Lynchburg earlier this season. 
 
Freshman guard Cam Platt-Morris had a coming out party against Longwood, scoring a career-high eight points and providing much needed perimeter shooting on a night that Spartans struggled from behind the arc. Platt-Morris also got it done defensively, with 3 of NSU's 16 steals.
 
Blaire Thomas and Mikaela Jones have been feeding on the glass for NSU, ranking 11th and 12th in the conference in rebounds. Thomas averages 6.1 rpg, while Jones averages 5.8 rpg.
 
 
NSU By the Numbers
 
58.4 - Number of points the Spartans have allowed to opposing teams, ranking second in the MEAC.
 
14.8 - The number of steals the Spartans are averaging per game, which ranks first in the MEAC and fourth in Division I.
 
+10.25- NSU's turnover margin so far this season, which ranks first in the MEAC and sixth in the country.
 
6.1 - The number of rebounds Blaire Thomas averages per game, first on the team and 11th in the MEAC.
 
5.6 - The number of steals Chanette Hicks averages per game, ranking first in the conference and in Division I.
 

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