NORFOLK STATE [14-8, 4-1 MEAC] vs. DELAWARE STATE [10-11, 3-2]		NORFOLK STATE vs. MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE [5-14, 1-5 MEAC]
Date / Time	Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024 | 4 p.m.	Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 | 8 p.m.
Location	Norfolk, Va. | Echols Hall	Princess Anne, Md. | Hytche Athletic Center
Tickets	Purchase Tickets Here	Purchase Tickets Here
TV / Streaming	nsuspartans.com	delmarvasportsnetwork.com
Game Notes	Norfolk State Notes	Norfolk State Notes
Live Stats	nsuspartans.com	umeshawksports.com
All-Time Series	NSU Leads 46-24	NSU Leads 52-17
First Meeting	NSU 80, DSU 69 [1963]	UMES 81, NSU 37 [1954]
Last Meeting	NSU 97, DSU 58 [2023]	NSU 76, UMES 73 [2023]
Series Current Streak	NSU - 15	NSU - 10
Social Media	Twitter - X | Instagram | Facebook	Twitter - X | Instagram | Facebook

SETTING THE SCENE

Norfolk State takes a four-game streak winning streak into a pair of conference matchups this weekend, facing Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore as the Spartans reach the midway point of the MEAC schedule.

Completing a three-game homestand, Norfolk State (14-8, 4-1 MEAC) meets Delaware State (10-11, 3-2 MEAC) on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. for Girls & Women in Sports Day at Echols Hall, before battling Maryland Eastern Shore (5-14, 1-5 MEAC) on Monday in Princess Anne.

The Spartans picked up a pair of home victories last weekend, thanks in large part to the play of graduate forward Tyrel Bladen. The Coatesville, Pa. native scored 11 points in the win over Coppin State, before exploding for a career-high 17 points against Morgan State. 

Norfolk State freshman Chris Fields Jr., who led the Spartans with 19 points against the Eagles, earned MEAC Rookie of the Week honors for his performance.

Delaware State shot up to first place in the MEAC standings with a 3-0 start to conference play, but the Hornets have lost some of that ground with back-to-back losses. Maryland Eastern Shore has yet to hit its stride during MEAC competition, losing four of the team's first five conference games.

LAST TIME OUT

• Norfolk State (14-8, 4-1 MEAC) defeated Morgan State 83-73 on Monday for the Spartans' fourth consecutive victory

• Graduate forward Tyrel Bladen led the Spartans with a career-best 17 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the floor

• Allen Betrand recorded 16 points, while Jamarii Thomas tallied 14 points and five assists

• Wynston Tabbs led Morgan State with 21 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the floor

• Norfolk State never trailed on Monday

SERIES HISTORY

• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with Delaware State 46-24, winning the last 15 matchups

• Delaware State's last win over Norfolk State came on Feb. 20, 2016, a 67-64 result. The Hornets  have not won in Echols Hall since the 2011-12 season 

• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with Maryland Eastern Shore 52-17, winning the last 10 matchups

• Maryland Eastern Shore's last win over Norfolk State came on Feb. 9, 2015, an 82-64 result

HORNET SCOUT

• Delaware State owns a 10-11 record this season, 3-2 in conference play

• The Hornets sped to first place in the conference standings with a 3-0 MEAC record, but have lost ground after dropping back-to-back contests 

• DSU comes into Saturday's game off a 69-66 home loss to North Carolina Central. The result thrust Norfolk State and NCCU past DSU in the league standings

• The Hornets are led by Martaz Robinson, averaging a MEAC-best 17.0 points per game

HAWK SCOUT

• Maryland Eastern Shore is 5-14 entering this weekend, 1-5 in the MEAC

• The Hawks earned their only win of MEAC play thus far against Morgan State, a 75-74 thriler in the team's conference opener

• Troy Hupstead leads the Hawks with 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, shooting 43.2 percent from the floor

TIP-INS

• Jamarii Thomas ranks second in the MEAC with 16.8 points per game, while standing second in assists (3.8) and steals (2.2) per game

• Jaylani Darden ranks eighth in the MEAC in rebounds per game (5.3)

• Norfolk State has held opponents to a MEAC-best 40.7 field goal percentage, while the Spartans have shot a league-best 74.7 percent from the free throw line

• Jamarii Thomas ranks 10th in the nation with 134 made free throws this season, shooting 83.2 percent from the charity stripe

LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT'S NEXT

After this two-game stretch, the Spartans return to Echols Hall for another homestand, facing South Carolina State and North Carolina Central. The latter matchup, scheduled for 9 p.m. on Feb. 19, will air on ESPNU.

For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.