NORFOLK, Va. - With only three conference games left in the regular season now, the Norfolk State men's basketball team faces a critical weekend on the road. The Spartans travel up to Baltimore to take on the first-place Morgan State Bears this Saturday and Sunday.

Both games will start at 2 p.m. at Talmadge Hill Field House. MSU carries a 6-2 MEAC record into the meeting with an 11-4 overall record. The Spartans (5-4 MEAC, 10-7) sit a half game behind second-place Coppin State (6-4).

After this weekend, and after Howard cancelled the rest of its season this week, MSU and CSU each have just have two games left at Delaware State to close out their regular seasons. Norfolk State will have one game left against DSU at home on Feb. 24, a game postponed on Jan. 31 due to weather.

Media Coverage
The games will be shown live through FloHoops.com (Saturday, Sunday), with subscription plans starting at $12.50 per month. They will also be broadcast live on WNSB Blazin' Hot 91 FM, with Ross Gordon on the call. The audio feed is available through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB").

Live stats can be accessed through www.MorganStateBears.com.

Series History
The Bears ended a four-game losing streak to NSU with their 78-74 win on Jan. 9. The Spartans still lead the all-time series, 40-16, after winning game 2 that weekend, 89-85 on Jan. 10. The teams first played in 1959-60. Lately, the Spartans have still won five of the last six, including the last two at Hill Field House. Morgan State last won at home on Jan. 4, 2017, 58-56.

Morgan State at a Glance
The Bears have surged as of late, winning five of six since suffering that loss to the Spartans. They led the MEAC in scoring offense (82 points per game), scoring margin (+8.3), rebounding (39.9), rebound margin (+4.1), free throw percentage (77.0) and assists (16.7). They rank in the top 30 in the nation in scoring, rebounding, free throw percentage and assists, as well as offensive rebounds (13.27) and turnovers forced (17.47, 11th nationally).

Four players average double figures and six tally at least seven points per game. Troy Baxter (16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds) leads the way, while De'Torrion Ware (14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds) and Malik Miller (13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.2 steals) also play big roles. Lagio Grantsaan (10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds) also scores in double figures, while Trevor Moore (9.4) is just under 10 per game.

Last Time Out
Norfolk State and Coppin State split last weekend's series, with NSU coming away with an 84-72 win on Sunday before the Eagles won Monday's game live on ESPNU, 74-64. Devante Carter totaled a season-high 31 points with eight rebounds and seven assists to lead NSU on Sunday. A 17-2 edge in second-chance points, as well as 32-8 in points in the paint, helped the Spartans come away with the win. CSU had 20 turnovers in game 1, but the Eagles held NSU to less than 33 percent shooting to win the second game. CSU had 26 more attempts at the foul line and made 11 3-pointers after sinking 10 the day before. The Spartans were again led by Carter with 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Quick Hits
 • Norfolk State now sits 64th in the nation in turnover margin (+2.5) and 82nd in field goal percentage defense (41.2). They sit first in the MEAC in field goal percentage defense and defensive rebound percentage (72.4), second in rebounding (36.9), rebound margin (-0.1) and scoring margin (+2.5), and third in scoring defense (72.4).
 • NSU currently sits 65th in the nation and second in the MEAC in 3-point shooting at 36.4 percent, a pace that is just behind the school's D-I record of 36.6 percent set in 2018-19. The top 3-point scorers are shooting better than 40 percent in Daryl Anderson (25-of-49, 51.0%) and Kashaun Hicks (23-of-57, 40.4%). Jalen Hawkins (15-of-36, 41.7%) is fifth on the team in makes as well. Anderson ranks first in the MEAC in 3-point shooting.
 • Joe Bryant Jr. is now averaging 14.4 points in his last seven games, including 21 points at Coppin State (1/23) and 24 points against Delaware State (1/30).
 • Devante Carter, meanwhile, is averaging 20.5 points his last four games. That includes a career-high 31 points against Coppin State (2/7). He ranks in the top 10 in the MEAC in points, rebounds and assists, one of three players in the league to do so along with MJ Randolph of Florida A&M and Anthony Tarke of Coppin State.
 • The team is up to 74.8 points per game, which would rank as the most since 1999-2000 (76.0) and the third-most in its D-I history.
 • The Spartans rank 88th in the nation in turnovers per game (12.29). They are ahead of the school record for fewest turnovers in a season of 12.44 set in 2015-16.
 • NSU has used eight different starting lineups this year, with the starting five of Matthews-Jenkins-Bryant-Chavis-Carter used the most at five times.
 • The Spartans are getting more than 30 points per game from their bench this year. They have outscored all 17 opponents in bench points, and for the year they are outscoring teams 32.4-17.5 per game.
 • NSU has outscored 14 of 17 opponents in points off turnovers, and for the year the Spartans hold a 17.1-12.6 edge in points off turnovers.
 • In eight of the last nine games, the Spartans have scored more second-chance points than the opposition, and more points in the paint in seven of the last nine. They are averaging 12.2 second-chance points and 29.1 points in the paint during that time.
 • This year, the Spartans have had the same amount or fewer fouls than the opposition in 12 of 17 games. Last year it was the opposite, as the Spartans had the same amount or more fouls in 22 of 31 games.
 • NSU is becoming adept at second half surges. This season, the team has scored the same amount or more points in second halves than first halves in 11 of 17 games. The Spartans are averaging +5.2 more points in second halves (39.6-34.4).

Conference Domination
Since 2011-12, Norfolk State owns a 118-35 record in regular season MEAC play, a 77.1 winning percentage. Among all D-I programs, NSU ranks 12th in the nation in conference winning percentage during that time.

At 118-35 (64-13 at home - 39-6 since the start of the 2015-16 season - and 54-22 on the road), NSU is ahead of North Carolina Central (110-38) for the best record in the league during that time. Counting MEAC tournament games, the Spartans are 130-42, while the Eagles are 127-42.

NSU owns a current 182-140 overall record since the start of the 2011-12 season, second in the conference to North Carolina Central (189-116).

Predictable Numbers
Since the start of the 2015-16 season, NSU is 84-14 when shooting better than the opposition and 12-74 when the other team has a better shooting percentage.