NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team carries a three-game win streak into an important stretch this weekend which includes a road test with an opponent atop the MEAC standings.
 
Norfolk State (16-7, 5-2 MEAC) heads to Princess Anne, Md. for a Saturday matchup against UMES (14-8, 6-1), with tipoff slated for 4 p.m. The Spartans have delivered Maryland Eastern Shore's lone loss in conference play thus far.
 
The Spartans return to Echols Hall on Monday evening, facing Delaware State (5-17, 3-4) for Military Appreciation Night. Both matchups will be broadcast on WNSB 91.1 FM.
 
Last Time Out
 
Norfolk State senior guard Joe Bryant Jr. led his team to a regular season series sweep of the Hampton Pirates on Saturday, scoring 29 points in the Spartans' 83-71 win. The matchup was part of the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Hosted by Michael B. Jordan, with Bryant earning the event's MVP honors.
 
Heading into the second half trailing by a point, Norfolk State outscored Hampton 48-35 in the final 20 minutes to secure a commanding Battle of the Bay victory in front of 13,451 fans at the Prudential Center.
 
Dana Tate Jr. followed behind with 21 points, while Kris Bankston  added 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Scouting the Hawks/Hornets
 
After dropping its conference opener to the NSU, UMES has bounced back emphatically by reeling off seven straight wins, including six in MEAC play. The Hawks escaped with slim victories over Howard, Delaware State, South Carolina State, and North Carolina Central, before producing blowouts against Coppin State, Morgan State, and Regent.
 
Three players average double-digit scoring for the Hawks thus far, led by Kevon Voyles' 12.9 points per contest. Nathaniel Pollard Jr. comes ready to play at both ends of the floor, scoring 10.1 points per game while hauling in 8.2 rebounds per game.
 
Delaware State opened conference play with three consecutive losses but has started to find its stride. The Hornets have won four of their last five matchups, including a thrilling overtime triumph at South Carolina State on Jan. 23.
 
Brandon Stone has become one of the conference's best bench contributors, leading the Hornets with 12.2 points per game this season, despite starting in just nine of his 17 appearances.  The 6-11 senior  put up 16 points and six rebounds in the team's 75-65 loss to Morgan State at the Legacy Classic.
 
All-Time Series/Last Meeting
 
Norfolk State owns a 51-17 advantage over Maryland Eastern Shore dating back to the 1953-54 campaign. The Spartans have won 14 of their last 15 matchups against the Hawks.
 
NSU came away with a 57-46 victory against UMES on Jan. 7 to open conference play. A true defensive battle, the Spartans held the Hawks to 29.4 percent shooting for the night, forcing 14 turnovers.
 
Norfolk State leads the all-time series with Delaware State 45-24, having won 14 straight against the Hornets. Delaware State's last successful outing against the Spartans came on Feb. 20, 2016, a 67-64 result in Dover, Del.
 
NSU earned a 78-65 road win in the teams' first meeting this season, fueled by Bryant's 19 second half points. Freshman George Beale Jr. came up strong for the Spartans as well, scoring a career-high 19 points in just his second-ever MEAC contest.
 
Tests with the Top
 
To be the best you have to compete against the best, and the Spartans have done just that this year, facing three teams ranked in the AP Top 10 in a span of one month. The Spartans battled Baylor in their third matchup of the season (ranked No. 5 at the time), before facing UCLA just two days later (No. 8). NSU played Houston on Nov. 29, the number-one ranked team in the country.
 
Dominance Against CAA
 
Of Norfolk State's seven nonconference wins against Division I opponents this year, five of them have come against CAA Teams (Monmouth, Hampton (2x), William & Mary, North Carolina A&T). The Spartans have also picked up victories against SWAC (Alabama A&M) and MAC (Bowling Green) opponents.
 
Neutral Site, No Problem
 
Norfolk State has played in three regular season multi-team events this year, owning a 4-0 record during those showcase opportunities. The Spartans defeated Alabama A&M 89-83 at the ATL Has Something to Say HBCU Challenge in Atlanta, Ga., before besting Hampton (78-66) and North Carolina A&T (70-66) at the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge in Las Vegas, Nev.
 
NSU battled Hampton once again in the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Hosted by Michael B. Jordan, coming away with an 83-71 victory for a Battle of the Bay sweep.
 
NSU in the Polls
 
Norfolk State entered the 2022-23 campaign ranked No. 20 in College Insider's Preseason Mid-Major Top-25 poll, after recording the team's highest-ever finish in the poll in 2021-22 at No. 16.
 
When the Norfolk State women's basketball team entered the College Insider Women's Mid-Major Top-25 for the first time in program history this December, NSU became the first HBCU ever to be represented in both the men's and women's mid-major polls at the same time.