NORFOLK STATE [17-9, 7-2 MEAC] at COPPIN STATE [2-21, 1-8]		NORFOLK STATE ar MORGAN STATE [9-16, 5-4 MEAC]
Date / Time	Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 | 4 p.m.	Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 | 7:30 p.m.
Location	Baltimore, Md. | P.E. Complex Arena	Baltimore, Md. | Hill Field House
Tickets	Purchase Tickets Here	Purchase Tickets Here
TV / Streaming	ESPN+	morganstatebears.com
Live Stats	coppinstatesports.com	morganstatebears.com
RADIO	WNSB Hot 91.1 FM	WNSB Hot 91.1 FM
All-Time Series	NSU Leads 40-15	NSU Leads 47-18
First Meeting	NSU 77, CSU 56 [1983]	MSU 70, NSU 67 [1960]
Last Meeting	NSU 68, CSU 58 [2024]	NSU 83, MSU 73 [2024]
Series Current Streak	NSU - 2	NSU - 2
Social Media	Twitter - X | Instagram | Facebook	Twitter - X | Instagram | Facebook

SETTING THE SCENE

The Norfolk State men's basketball team heads into this weekend's competition with a strong hold on the top spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings, looking for its third MEAC regular season championship in the last four years.
 
Norfolk State travels to Baltimore for its next two matchups, facing Coppin State at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, and Morgan State at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 26.
 
The Spartans picked up a pair of crucial conference victories last week on their home floor. NSU needed overtime to close out a thrilling 71-67 victory over South Carolina State on Saturday, before taking down North Carolina Central 80-74 in front of a national audience on a late Monday night.
 
Norfolk State trailed by as much as nine in the first half against the Eagles but battled back thanks to a profound effort inside the paint, getting to the free throw line early and often. Jamarii Thomas alone shot 16-of-19 from the charity stripe, becoming just the second player in NSU's Division I history to make 16 foul shots in a single game.
 
"I feel like at the beginning of MEAC play when things got sticky and adversity hit, we would just fold or go against our teammates," Thomas said after scoring a game-high 28 points. "Now we're sticking together, everybody's trusting each other, and we're just playing way better."
 
LAST TIME OUT

• Norfolk State earned an 80-74 victory over North Carolina Central in a late night ESPNU showdown on Monday, securing a two-game lead atop the MEAC basketball standings
• NSU improved to 17-9 with the win, 7-2 in MEAC play
• Jamarii Thomas led the Spartans with 28 points, becoming the second player in NSU's Division I history to make 16 foul shots in a single game
• Allen Betrand contributed 16 points, while Kuluel Mading scored 13
• Thomas also led the Spartans on the glass, corralling six rebounds

 
ALL-TIME SERIES

• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with Coppin State 40-15, winning six of the last seven matchups
• NSU beat Coppin State 68-58 at Echols Hall in the teams' first meeting of the season, led by 19 points from freshman forward Chris Fields Jr.
• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with Morgan State 47-18, winning eight of the last 10 matchups
• NSU defeated Morgan State 83-73 at Echols Hall in the teams' first meeting of the season, led by a career-high 17-point performance by graduate forward Tyrel Bladen.

 
EAGLE SCOUT

• Coppin State owns a 2-21 record, 1-8 in MEAC play
• The Eagles have lost their last six games
• CSU dropped its last game 75-66 at Maryland Eastern Shore, despite a 28-point effort from redshirt senior forward Justin Winston
• Winston leads the Eagles in multiple categories this year, averaging 14.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest

 
BEAR SCOUT

• Morgan State owns a 9-16 record, 5-4 in MEAC play
• Morgan State's 80-58 loss to Delaware State on Monday snapped a three-game win streak
• Kamren Hobbs and Will Thomas led the Bears with 11 points each against DSU
• Wynston Tabbs leads Morgan State with 15. 9 points per game.

 
UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State remains on the road for a third consecutive game next weekend at Delaware State, before closing the regular season with a pair of home matchups against Maryland Eastern Shore and Howard.
 
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.