NORFOLK, Va. -- It's a new year for the Spartans, heading into 2020 ready for their familiar slate of MEAC opponents. Bethune-Cookman is first up, heading to Norfolk for a 4 p.m. tipoff on Saturday in Echols Hall. Then the Spartans travel to Baltimore to face Coppin State on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
 
Media Coverage
The games will be broadcast on Hot 91.1 FM WNSB with Ross Gordon and Woube Gebre on 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 and live video.

Against Coppin State, fans can follow both the live stream and live stats. 

Series History
This will be the 37th meeting between the two teams, and the eighth meeting during Coach Vickers' tenure. The Wildcats hold a 20-16 series edge over the Spartans. The Wildcats defeated the Spartans in last year's MEAC Championship game, earning a 16 seed into the NCAA tournament. They would go on to lose to the number one overall seed Notre Dame, 92-50.
 
Coppin State holds a 28-10 series lead over the Spartans, dominating from 2004-2014 with 18 straight wins. The Spartans have switched the power in the rivalry recently, with three wins in the past four years.
 
Scouting The Wildcats
The Wildcats are paced by leading scorer Daniella Hatcher, who averages 12.1 points per game.
 
Amaya Scott is the team's second leading scorer, averaging 9.4 points per game. Scott has gone 44-of-87 from the field for a shooting percentage of 50.6%.
 
Ciara Thompson is the leading rebounder, with 6.4 rebounds per game. She is also the team's third leading scorer, with 7.2 points per game.

2017-18 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Ashanti Hunt has returned to court for the Wildcats, after missing all of last season with injury. Hunt has been dishing out assists, averaging 2.8 per game.
 
Scouting The Eagles
Coppin State is still searching for their first win of the season. They are led by reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Chance Graham, who averages 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
Aliyah Lawson leads the Eagles' backcourt, averaging 9.2 points per game and two assists per game. Alexandra Hamilton is another guard that can dish the ball, averaging 2.2 assist per game and 6.3 points per game.
 
Last Time Out
The Spartans fell 77-69 to the Richmond Spiders, despite a Spartans' fourth quarter comeback that fell short at the Robins Center on Monday evening. After being down by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, the Spartans rallied in the fourth quarter to cut the Spiders's lead to just three points following a layup by Mikaela Jones with 1:34 left in the game. NSU was unable to make the score any closer, as the Spiders converted free-throws down the stretch and ended the game on an 8-3 run in the final minute to seal the win.

The Starters 
Chanette Hicks dropped a career high 31 points at Richmond last game, her second 30-point game of the year. Hicks  leads the Spartans with 22.1 points per game, also leading the MEAC in that category. Hicks also ranks 7th nationally in points per game. She's had nine 20-point games, and has at least 10 points in all 13 games so far this season.
 
Armani Franklin has started the last five games, making a difference on both sides of the floor. Franklin has averaged six points in games she's started, and is second on the team with two steals per game.
 
La'Deja James is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game. James is also second on the team with 2.6 assists per game, and fourth with 4.8 rebounds per game.
 
Blaire Thomas had her fourth double-figure game of the season against William & Mary, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds. She leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game.
 
Mikaela Jones rounds out the Spartan starting five, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She had a career-high 15 points last game against Richmond.
 
NSU By the Numbers
 
66.2 - Number of points the Spartans have scored against opposing teams per game.
 
62 - Average number of points the Spartans have allowed to opponents per game.
 
13.1 - The number of steals the Spartans are averaging per game, which ranks first in the MEAC and seventh in DI.
 
+6.92 - NSU's turnover margin so far this season, which ranks second in the MEAC and 15th in the country.
 
5.08 - The number of steals Chanette Hicks averages per game, which ranks second in the country. Hicks is currently third on the active career leader's board. 
 
 

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