2024-25 (Senior Year)
Appeared in 33 games, making 28 starts … Averaged 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest while shooting 82-of-180 (45.6 percent) from the field and 39-of-50 (78.0 percent) from the free throw line … Ranked fourth in the MEAC with 1.4 steals per game … Recorded 2.2 steals per game during conference play … Knocked down 15 3-pointers … Tied career high with 16 points against Maryland Eastern Shore (2/15), adding five rebounds, three assists, and four steals … Helped lead Spartans to a road victory over Delaware State (1/6) with 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals … Tied career-high of five steals against Delaware State at home (2/17) to go with seven points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one block … Scored 15 points in NCAA Tournament matchup against No. 1 seed Florida, adding six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
2023-24 (Junior Year)
Appeared in 31 games, making 27 starts … Averaged 7.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 74-of-140 (52.9 percent) from the field, 19-of-52 (36.5 percent) from behind the arc, and 50-of-61 (82.0 percent) at the free throw line … Team’s leading rebounder, ranking 11
th in the MEAC in the category … Also ranked fifth in the MEAC in steals per game (1.5) and 12
th in assist average … Scored in double figures on eight occasions … Led Spartans to Battle of the Bay victory over Hampton (11/13) with 16 points and nine rebounds, shooting 7-of-7 at the free throw line … Tallied career-high 12 rebounds against Fordham (11/17) to go with three steals and four points … Scored 14 points against Southern Virginia with five assists on a 6-of-6 shooting night … Recorded career-high five steals at UMES (2/5) … Logged 15 points and six rebounds in the Spartans’ home rematch with the Hawks (2/5) … Blocked career high three shots and corralled nine rebounds in regular season finale against Howard (3/7) … Dished career high eight assists in CIT Semifinals against Alabama A&M (11/17) Helped Spartans win CIT Championship with 11 points against Purdue Fort Wayne in the title game (3/27), making all five of his shot attempts.
At Longwood (Sophomore Year – 2022-23)
Appeared in 25 games, making a pair of starts … Averaged 2.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, shooting 26-of-66 (39.4 percent) from the floor and 11-of-24 (.458) from behind the arc … Tallied 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals against MEAC for South Carolina State … Recorded nine points and a season-high eight rebounds at St. Francis Brooklyn … Earned first start of collegiate career against Mary Baldwin, recording seven points and three assists on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting day.
At Longwood (Freshman Year – 2021-22)
Appeared in 23 games as a true freshman … Helped Lancers win both the Big South regular season and tournament title to advance to the NCAA Tournament … Averaged 2.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game, shooting 17-of-36 (47.2 percent) from the floor … Recorded season-bests of 11 points and six rebounds against Carolina University … Notched a pair of steals at Cambell.
High School
Four-year letterwinner at Norview … Led Norview to the 2020 Virginia 5A State Championship, earning all-state first team and All-Tidewater first team selections … Averaged 19.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game as a junior … Named the Eastern District Player of the Year that season … Averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game as a sophomore … Tallied 14.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a freshman … Honor roll student.
Club/AAU
Played for the Boo Williams EYBL program.
Personal
Born on Jan. 25, 2002 … Son of Shauno Patterson and Shalanda Darden … Older brother Najae Darden graduated from NSU … Majoring in psychology … Plans on pursuing a professional basketball career or become a business owner or merchant marine … Enjoys playing football, drawing, and watching Netflix in his free time.
| CAREER HIGHS |
| Points |
16 (2x), last: at UMES (2-15-25) |
| FG Made |
6 (3x), last: vs. N.C. Central (2-3-25) |
| FG Att. |
11, at Delaware State (1-6-25) |
| 3 Pt. FG Made |
3, at Baylor (12-11-24) |
| 3 Pt. FG Att. |
6, vs. Hampton (11-13-23) |
| FT Made |
7, vs. Hampton (11-13-23) |
| FT Att. |
7, vs. Hampton (11-13-23) |
| Rebounds |
12, vs. Fordham (11-17-23) |
| Assists |
8, vs. Alabama A&M (3-23-24) |
| Steals |
5 (2x), last: vs. Delaware State (2-17-24) |
| Blocks |
3, vs. Howard (3-7-24) |
| Minutes |
38, vs. South Carolina State (2-1-25) |
Darden's Career Statistics
| YEAR |
GP-GS |
FGM-A |
PCT |
3PM-A |
PCT |
FTM-A |
PCT |
REB/AVG |
AST/AVG |
BLK/AVG |
STL/AVG |
PTS/AVG |
| 2021-22* |
23-0 |
17-36 |
.472 |
4-15 |
.267 |
8-15 |
.533 |
37/1.6 |
9/0.4 |
0/0.0 |
7/0.3 |
46/2.0 |
| 2022-23* |
25-2 |
26-66 |
.394 |
11-24 |
.458 |
9-14 |
.643 |
47/1.9 |
21/0.8 |
1/0.0 |
8/0.3 |
72/2.9 |
| 2023-24 |
31-28 |
74-149 |
.529 |
19-52 |
.365 |
50-61 |
.820 |
157/5.1 |
61/2.0 |
5/0.2 |
47/1.5 |
217/7.0 |
| 24-25 |
33-28 |
82-180 |
.456 |
15-55 |
.273 |
39-50 |
.780 |
157/4.8 |
81/2.5 |
7/0.2 |
46/1.4 |
218/6.6 |
| Totals |
112-58 |
199-422 |
.472 |
49-146 |
.336 |
106-140 |
.757 |
398/3.6 |
172/1.5 |
13/0.1 |
108/1.0 |
553/4.9 |
* at Longwood
