BALTIMORE, Md. - The 2019-20 regular season comes to a close on Thursday night when the Norfolk State men's basketball team travels to Morgan State. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Talmadge Hill Field House.

With a win, the Spartans (11-4) can finish in a tie for second in the regular season standings with the loser of North Carolina A&T-North Carolina Central (both 12-3). A loss would drop the Spartans to third behind those two schools. No matter what, NSU will be the No. 3 seed in next week's MEAC Tournament.

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

The game can also be seen with the MEAC's package of games on FloHoops, available at FloHoops.com. Fans can also follow along with the live stats.

Series History
The Spartans have won the last three after the Bears took three of four before that. NSU had to hold off a late MSU rally in the first meeting this year, 62-57, to improve to 38-15 all-time. NSU's last loss to MSU came by a 58-56 score on the road on Jan. 4, 2017.

Scouting the Opponent
The Bears are looking to finish a turnaround season, as they currently sit 15-15 overall, 9-6 in the MEAC. Most recently, they fell to Coppin State by seven at home on Saturday. The Bears are a team that scores 71 per game, holds teams to 41 percent shooting, and owns a +4.4 rebound margin, tops in the league.

Three players score in double figures for the Bears, including senior and top scorer Stanley Davis (13.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists). Troy Baxter (10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds) and Sherwyn Devonish (10.1 points) are the other two. Morgan State turns the ball over 16.5 times and sends teams to the free throw line to the tune of 19 made free throws per game.

Last Time Out
Delaware State got within a single possession several times in the last 10 minutes of the game, but the Spartans held them off in a 79-73 win on Monday at DSU's Memorial Hall. NSU made 13 3-pointers on the night and shot 45 percent for the game. The Spartans held an 18-8 advantage in fastbreak points.

Jermaine Bishop scored 24 points, 18 in the first half, on 9-of-18 shooting with seven rebounds. He had six 3-pointers for his third 20-point outing in the last five games. Devante Carter shot 6-of-9 for 14 points and six rebounds, and Kyonze Chavis had a season-high 13 points. Myles Carter came off the bench to score 22 for the Hornets, hitting 8-of-11 overall and all five of his 3-point attempts.

Recent Trends
 • NSU's scoring margin of +5.6 is on pace to be its best in its Division I era, topping last year's mark of +4.1. Its current scoring defense of 65.0 and field goal % defense of 40.2 are on pace to be the second best. In addition, the team's 3-point field goal % defense of 30.2 is currently third in NSU D-I records, and its 70.1 free throw shooting percentage is the fourth-best.
 • NSU's scoring defense (65.0) is currently fourth best in overall schools records as well. The team's 735 3-point attempts and 239 3-pointers are also second and fourth best, respectively, all-time.
 • The Spartans have shot a combined 218 3-point attempts the last 7 games (31.1 per game), including 25-of-61 (41.0 percent) the last two games.
 • In the last 10 games, opponents have averaged 16.6 turnovers per game, and NSU has tallied 8.6 steals during that time.
 • NSU has outscored opponents in points off turnovers in 15 of the last 21 games. The Spartans have outscored or been even with opponents in second-chance points in 15 of the last 18 games as well. In addition, they are averaging 14.7 fastbreak points the last three games
 • The Spartans are outscoring teams in every specialty stat category: points off turnovers (17.2-13.0), second-chance points (10.2-8.3), points in the paint (26.5-24.3), fastbreak points (9.9-7.1), and bench points (23.1-17.9).
 • The guard foursome of Bishop, Bryant, Whitley and Carter have combined for 77 of the team's 91 double-digit scoring performances this year.
 • NSU has used 14 different starting lineups this year and none more than five times.
 • In 22 of the Spartans' 30 games this year, they have scored the same amount or more points in the second half than the first (+5.4 points per second half), including 10 of the last 13 games. 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 22 of 30 games this year.
 • The Spartans also shoot better in second halves (42.6-40.1), as do opponents (42.2-38.1).
 • The Spartans have also had the same amount or more fouls than the opposition in 22 of 30 games this season (+2.0 in fouls per game). They did the same in 26 of 36 games last year (+2.2).
 • NSU went undefeated at home in MEAC play for just the second time ever along with the 2012-13 team. The team's 11-1 overall home record marked the fewest losses since that 2012-13 team went 11-0 at home.

Conference Domination
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Norfolk State is 112-31 in regular season MEAC play, a 78.3 winning percentage. Among all D-I programs, NSU ranks 13th in the nation in conference winning percentage during that time.

At 112-31 (61-11 at home - 36-4 since the start of the 2015-16 season - and 51-20 on the road), NSU is ahead of North Carolina Central (107-36) for the best record in the league since 2011. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 124-38, while the Eagles are 123-40 during that time.

NSU also owns a 171-133 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (183-111).

Conference Standings
The Spartans have now finished fourth or better in the MEAC standings in 13 of the last 14 seasons, including nine straight years. Only 13 other teams in Division I have a longer streak than NSU's eight of finishing in the top 4 of their respective conference standings.

Player Facts
Jermaine Bishop
 • Has scored in double figures in 16 straight games, averaging 18.3 points during that time, 21.4 points last 5 games; Also averaging 5.0 rebounds last 8 games
 • Has 82 3-point attempts and averaging 4.7 3-pointers last 7 games
 • Need 4 more 3-pointers to own the NSU school record, surpassing the previous best of 98 set by Ralph Tally in 1986-87; Bishop already owns the school record for 3-point attempts (242 and counting)
 • At 84.3% free throw shooting, is on pace along with teammate Joe Bryant Jr. (92.2%) to top the school's Division I record of 83.3% held by two players
 • Had 24 points on season-best 9-of-18 shooting at Delaware State (3/2), tying career high with 6 3-pointers; 12th career 20-point game and 8th game this season with at least 5 3-pointers
 • Scored season-high 26 points vs. Howard (2/29)

Steven Whitley
 • Averaging 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals last 6 games played

Joe Bryant Jr.
 • Averaging 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals last 11 games
 • At 92.2% free throw shooting, is on pace to top the school record of 85.6% set by David Donerlson (1991-92), and the school's Division I record of 83.3% held by two players. Does not have enough attempts to qualify nationally; National leader is at 94.3%
 • Tied career highs with 5 assists in 37 minutes at Delaware State (3/2)

Devante Carter
 • Averaging 13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists last 8 games

Efstratios Kalogerias
 • Had career-highs 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 29 minutes at Delaware State (3/2)
 • Shot career-best 3-of-4 from the free throw line vs. Howard (2/29)

Kyonze Chavis
 • Posted season-high 13 points at Delaware State (3/2), shooting career-best 6-of-6 from the free throw line
 • Had career-high 5 rebounds versus Howard (2/29)

Daryl Anderson
 • Averaging 3.4 points last 8 games played
 • Named MEAC Rookie of the Week on March 3