NORFOLK, Va. - Alone in first place in the MEAC, the Norfolk State men's basketball team can push itself further ahead on Saturday when the Spartans host South Carolina State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall to start a home weekend.

The Bulldogs sit 4-1 in the MEAC, tied with North Carolina A&T for second. The Spartans are 4-0 so far this year, with a home contest against Florida A&M also on tap for Monday at 7 p.m.

Media Coverage
Monday's game will be shown live on ESPNU, with Derek Jones and Sydney Johnson on the call. It can also be seen through the ESPN app. It will mark the first of two regular season MEAC games on ESPNU this year for NSU, and the first home game on TV in two seasons.

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

Fans can also follow along with the live stats for both games and the live video feed for Saturday. The live video feed also carries the radio broadcast.

Series History
NSU has won seven in a row over South Carolina State, dating back to the 2016-17 season, as well as 10 of the last 11. That has pushed the Spartans' all-time record to 26-18 against the Bulldogs. S.C. State's last win came in the 2016 MEAC tournament, 67-65 over the Spartans in the semifinal round. Each of the two meetings last year were decided by five points.

The win streak is now 16 for NSU over Florida A&M, and it dates back more than a decade. The Spartans last lost to the Rattlers during the 2006-07 season, and they haven't lost at home since 2004-05. After FAMU raced out to the series edge when NSU moved to Division I, the Spartans are now on top by a 21-9 margin all-time.

Scouting the Opponents
The Bulldogs not only sit in second place in the league, but they own the only overall winning record at 9-8. Their only conference loss came at Morgan State, and they own three non-conference Division I wins over Presbyterian, UNC Asheville and Jacksonville.

South Carolina State is a team that shoots 44 percent overall and 78 percent from the free throw line. The Bulldogs also sit right behind NSU for the MEAC lead in 3-point field goal percentage at 32.2. They average 71 points per game while giving up 76.

Only two players score in double figures, including preseason first-team All-MEAC player Damani Applewhite at 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Tashombe Riley is the other at 10.5 points. But five players score between seven and nine points, including Savannah State transfer Zach Sellers (8.4), Ian Kinard (8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds), Rayshawn Neal (8.1), Jahmari Etienne (7.6), and Tariq Simmons (7.5). Seven of the team's top nine scorers are seniors.

The Rattlers own a 3-3 mark in conference play, 5-12 overall. Included in those wins are home victories against Morgan State and North Carolina Central. They also boast a road win at Iowa State at the end of December.

Nevertheless, the Rattlers score just 63 points per game, shooting just 40 percent overall and 28 percent from deep. They do force 15 turnovers each time out, but they are on the wrong side of the rebounding margin at -4.5 per game.

MJ Randolph (12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds) and Rod Melton (12.2 points) are two of the bigger names on offense. But contributions also come from Evins Desir (8.9 points, 5.4 rebounds), DJ Jones (7.3 points, 6.3 rebounds) and Kamron Reaves (5.8 points).

Last Time Out
The Spartans made just 35 percent from the floor, 29 percent in the second half, but a 20-of-26 effort from the free throw line was enough to top Maryland Eastern Shore 62-52 last Saturday at Joseph Echols Hall. NSU made eight 3-pointers, while the Hawks were just 2-of-18 from deep despite hitting 40 percent overall.

Tyrese Jenkins posted his first career double-digit scoring game with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting, 3-of-4 from 3-point land. Jermaine Bishop sank four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. AJ Cheeseman led MDES with 15 points, helping the Hawks outscore NSU 34-10 in points in the paint and 10-0 in fastbreak points. The Spartans had a slight edge on the glass but a 19-7 advantage in second-chance points. They attempted 14 more free throw attempts than the Hawks.

Recent Trends
 • Norfolk State is now one of 16 teams in the nation still undefeated in conference play, joining Dayton (A-10), Liberty (A-Sun), Baylor (Big 12), Seton Hall (Big East), Winthrop (Big South), Princeton, Yale, Harvard and Columbia (Ivy), San Diego State (Mountain West), Murray State and Austin Peay (Ohio Valley), LSU (SEC), Gonzaga (WCC) and New Mexico State (WAC).
 • The Spartans are averaging 8.6 3-pointers during the last 5 games, including 13 at Coppin State, tied for the seventh-most in a game in school history. In the last 4 games, opponents have shot just 23.6 percent from deep (21-of-89).
 • They are a total +27 on the glass over the last 4 games.
 • NSU has outscored opponents in fastbreak points in seven of the last 10 games, as well as points off turnovers in seven of the last 10. NSU has had fewer turnovers than the opposition in four of the last five games.
 • The Spartans are outscoring teams in every specialty stat category: points off turnovers (17.4-14.2), second-chance points (10.4-8.9), points in the paint (27.1-24.9), fastbreak points (10.2-8.2), and bench points (22.4-18.2). The Spartans are averaging 12.1 second-chance points the last seven games.
 • The Spartans have shot 74.5 percent (143-of-192) from the free throw line the last 11 contests.
 • The guard foursome of Bishop, Bryant, Whitley and Carter have combined for 46 of the team's 55 double-digit scoring performances this year, including 33 of the last 37.
 • NSU has used eight different starting lineups this year, including seven different lineups during an eight-game span from Dec. 1-Jan. 4.
 • In 14 of the Spartans' 19 games this year, they have scored the same amount or more points in the second half than the first (+4.9 points per second half). They did the same in 28 of 36 games last year, when they averaged 8.1 points more in second halves than first halves. Opponents have done the same in 13 of 19 games this year, including each of the last nine.
 • The Spartans also shoot better in second halves (43.3-39.4) and have a better turnover margin as well (+1.4 - +0.1). Opponents shoot better in second halves too (42.7-37.5).
 • The Spartans have also had the same amount or more fouls than the opposition in 14 of 19 games this season (+2.3 in fouls per game). They did the same in 26 of 36 games last year (+2.2).

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank 1st in the MEAC in scoring defense (64.6), scoring margin (+4.1), field goal % defense (40.1), 3-point field goal % (32.3), and defensive rebound % (71.9). They are also second in free throw % (71.2), opponent rebounding (34.8), rebounding margin (+1.8), turnover margin (+1.53), assist-turnover ratio (0.9), defensive rebound % (71.8), and offensive rebound % (31.1), and third in 3-point field goal % defense (29.3), steals (7.7), offensive rebounds (11.4), and 3-pointers (7.4).

National Rankings
On a national level, Norfolk State stands No. 34 in 3-point field goal % defense (29.3), No. 48 in turnovers forced (15.95), No. 63 in field goal % defense (40.1), No. 70 in scoring defense (64.6), No. 77 in steals (7.7), No. 85 in offensive rebounds (11.42), No. 89 in turnover margin (+1.6), No. 138 in rebounds per game (36.63), No. 139 in rebound margin (+1.8), No. 141 in free throw % (71.2), and No. 144 in scoring margin (+4.1).

Conference Domination
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Norfolk State is 105-27 in regular season MEAC play, a 79.5 winning percentage. Among all D-I programs, NSU ranks eighth in the nation in conference winning percentage during that time (See table page 8).

At 105-27 (55-11 at home - 30-4 since the start of the 2015-16 season - and 50-16 on the road), NSU is ahead of North Carolina Central (98-35) for the best record in the league since 2011. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 117-34, while the Eagles are 114-39 during that time.

NSU also owns a 164-129 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (174-110).

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 at 26-22.