NORFOLK STATE [5-3] vs. VCU [4-3]
Date / Time	Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 | 7 p.m.
Location	Richmond, Va. | Siegel Center
Tickets	Purchase Tickets Here
TV / Streaming	ESPN+
Radio	Hot 91.1 FM (WNSB)
Game Notes	Norfolk State Notes
Live Stats	statbroadcast.com
All-Time Series	VCU Leads 4-1
First Meeting	Norfolk State 109, VCU 97 [1972]
Last Meeting	VCU 104, Norfolk State 94 [1998]
Series Current Streak	VCU - 4
Social Media	Twitter - X | Instagram | Facebook

NORFOLK, Va. – Basketball fans across the state of Virginia will converge in Richmond on Friday night to watch a highly anticipated in-state showdown, one that's been in the making for over two decades.
 
Norfolk State (5-3) heads to the Siegel Center after a statement victory earlier this week, squaring off against VCU (4-3) on Friday, Dec. 1. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
 
The matchup will mark Norfolk State and VCU's first meeting since Dec. 19, 1998, a 104-94 Rams victory in the team's first season in the Siegel Center.
 
The Spartans clicked on all cylinders in a 96-62 rout of William & Mary on Tuesday night, Norfolk State's largest-ever margin of victory against a non-conference Division I opponent. Five Spartans scored in double-figures, as NSU improved to 31-2 under head coach Robert Jones when scoring 90 or more points.
 
After back-to-back losses, VCU got back in the win column on Sunday with an 86-74 victory over Big 10 opponent Penn State. The Rams have also earned wins over Samford (75-65), Radford (73-50), and Seattle (60-56).
 
Friday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Radio coverage is also available on Hot 91.1 FM (WNSB), with Ross Gordon and Woube Gebre on the call.
 
Last Time Out
 
Norfolk State dominated from start to finish in a 96-62 victory over William & Mary on Tuesday, the team's largest-ever margin of victory against a Division I nonconference opponent.
 
Jamarii Thomas continued his stellar start to the season, posting 23 points and a career-high nine assists.
 
"I'm more impressed with the nine assists than the 23 points," Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones said after the game. "That's something we've talked about a lot: if you're going to shoot the majority of the shots as a point guard, you better lead the team in assists too. You got to have a balance, and tonight he did that, so that's great to see.
 
Five Spartans scored in double figures – Thomas, Christian Ings (15), Allen Betrand (15), Kuluel Mading (12), and Jaylani Darden (10). Norfolk State shot 24-of-27 (88.9 percent) from the free throw line, its best mark this year at the charity stripe.
 
Series History

• Norfolk State and VCU will meet on Friday for the first time since Dec. 19, 1998
• VCU leads the all-time series 4-1
• The Rams have won the last four matchups
• Norfolk State's lone victory came in the first-ever meeting between the schools, a 109-97 result on Jan. 10, 1972

Ram Scout

• VCU improved to 4-3 on the season with an 86-74 victory over Penn State at the ESPN Events Invitational on Sunday
• The Rams have also earned victories over Samford (75-65), Radford (73-50), and Seattle (60-56)
• VCU is led by Ukrainian guard Max Shulga, averaging 16.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game
• VCU competes in the Atlantic 10 (A10) conference
• Senior guard Zeb Jackson averages 14.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest
• The Rams rank second in the A10 with 5.29 blocks per game

Quick Hits

• Norfolk State improved to 5-3 with a 96-62 rout of William & Mary on Tuesday night
• The win marked Norfolk State's largest-ever margin of victory against a Division I non-conference opponent
• Jamarii Thomas recorded 23 points and a career-high nine assists, while Christian Ings registered 15 points in just 12 minutes of action
• Five Spartans scored in double figures: Thomas, Ings, Allen Betrand (15), Kuluel Mading (12), and Jaylani Darden (10)
• Norfolk State improved to 31-1 under head coach Robert Jones when five or more players score in double-figures
• The Spartans are looking for their first road victory of the season, with four home wins this year and one at a neutral-site tournament
• Thomas leads the MEAC with 18.0 points per game through eight contests, scoring in double-figures in every matchup this season
• Jaylani Darden ranks third in the conference with 7.3 rebounds per game, and is also third in free throw percentage (.870), Thomas follows closely behind at 86.2 free throw percentage
• Thomas leads the MEAC with 2.6 steals per game, and ranks second in assists per game (3.9)