NORFOLK, Va. – After claiming the MEAC Regular Season title for the second-straight season, and third time in the past four years, the Norfolk State men's basketball team looks to wrap up regular season when it hosts Howard on Thursday evening. The Spartans clinched the top-seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament with a 75-46 win over NC Central on Monday.

The game with the Bison starts at 7:30 p.m.

NSU (20-6, 11-2) won both of their MEAC games last week to win the regular season. The Spartans opened with a 63-59 win over S.C. State on Saturday. Senior Dana Tate Jr. had a team-high 15 points and nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds. Junior Daryl Anderson had a career-high five blocks against the Bulldogs.

On Monday, NSU avenged a loss to the Eagles from earlier this season on the road. Senior Kris Bankston scored a career-high 21 points over NCCU as the Spartans held the Eagles scoreless from 8:43 in the first half to 18:13 in the second to take a commanding lead en route to the 75-46 victory.

Howard comes into the contest with a 16-11 overall record and are 9-4 in the MEAC. The Bison won both their games last weekend over NCCU and SCSU.

The Spartans will honor its three seniors, Tate, Joe Bryant Jr., and Jalen Hawkins, prior to the start of the game.

NSU vs. Howard Tip-Ins

• Tate nearly had a double-double in both games last week with nine rebounds in both games after scoring in double-figures as well. He currently averages 9.8 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.
• Bryant currently leads NSU averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting 92% from the free-throw line, which leads the MEAC. His free-throw percentage ranks third in all of Division I.
• Hawkins ranks second on the team in scoring average with 12.9 per game while adding in 83 rebounds in his 22 games played.
• The Spartans rank second in Division I for field goal percentage defense (37.6) while ranking 10^th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (29.0) and are atop the MEAC in defensive rebounds per game while ranking eighth in Division I, averaging 28.85 a game.
• NSU is undefeated at home heading into the game on Thursday with a 10-0 this season while riding a 12-0 current streak dating back to last season.
• Howard only lost one game in February with an 86-82 loss to Coppin State on Feb. 21. They have won eight of their last nine games.
• The Bison are leading the MEAC in offense, scoring an average 77.7 points a game while ranking fourth in defense, giving up 69.5 points a game. They also lead the conference in assists/turnover ratio with 1.02.
• Kyle Foster leads the NSU and the MEAC with 16.4 points a game. He is also third on the Bison with 4.1 rebounds a game. Randall Brumant leads the team from Washington, D.C. with 144 boards, averaging 5.3 a game. Brumant also leads his team with 38 blocks on the season.