Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletics
NORFOLK, Va. — After a nearly two-week rest period, the Norfolk State men’s basketball team returns to Echols for an important two-game homestand against MEAC opponents, capped off by a chance for vengeance in front of a national audience.
The Spartans celebrate Alumni Day at Echols Hall on Saturday, facing South Carolina State at 4 p.m., looking for a season sweep. After dropping a nailbiter against the Eagles in the teams’ first meeting of the year, Norfolk State’s Monday meeting with North Carolina Central will air on ESPNU.
NSU looks to get back in the win column on Saturday after a 69-60 loss at Maryland Eastern Shore in the team’s last outing. The Spartans forced 17 turnovers and blocked six shots, but could not overcome a cold shooting niight against the Hawks.
Despite the result, Norfolk State remained in a tie for first place in the MEAC standings, thanks to NCCU’s 79-72 overtime loss to Morgan State on the same evening.
Norfolk State fell 60-58 to North Carolina Central in Durham on Jan. 8, with the Spartans missing three members of its starting lineup: Christian Ings, Tyrel Bladen, and Jaylani Darden. With all three back on the floor, NSU will have a prime opportunity to get revenge while taking back sole control of the MEAC standings in one fall swoop.
LAST TIME OUT
• Norfolk State (15-9, 5-2 MEAC) fell 69-60 to Maryland Eastern Shore last week, snapping the Spartans’ five game win streak
• Graduate forward Tyrel Bladen and junior guard Jamarii Thomas led the Spartans with 16 points each
• The Spartans remained strong on the defensive end, with Jaylani Darden recording a career-best five steals and Nyzaiah Chambers recording a career-best four blocks
• Devon Ellis led Maryland Eastern Shore with 20 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the floor, while Troy
Hupstead recorded an 18-point, 15-rebound double double
• The Spartans struggled from the free throw line, shooting 8-of-16 at the charity stripe
SERIES HISTORY
• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with South Carolina State 32-18, winning the last 13 matchups
• South Carolina State’s last win over Norfolk State came in the MEAC Tournament on March 11, 2016, a 67-65 result
• The Spartans defeated SCSU 79-72 in the first meeting between the schools this season
• Norfolk State leads the all-time series with North Carolina Central 34-19
• NSU lost the first meeting with NCCU of the season, 60-58
BULLDOG SCOUT
• South Carolina State enters Saturday’s matchup with a 9-15 record this season, 4-3 in conference play
• The Bulldogs have won five of their last six games
• One of the scrappiest teams in the country, South Carolina State ranks fifth in the country with 14.92 offensive rebounds per game
• The Bulldogs boast a balanced attack on the offensive end, with Mitchell Taylor (8.4 points per game), Davion Everett (8.3), Michael Teal (8.3), and Wilson Dubinsky (8.1) leading the scoring department
EAGLE SCOUT
• North Carolina Central is 13-9 entering this weekend, 5-2 in the MEAC
• The Eagles are comming of a 79-72 overtime loss to Morgan State, snapping a three-game win streak
• North Carolina Central leads the entire nation in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to a 25.8 percent clip from behind the arc
• Ja’Darius Harris leads the Hawks with 15.7 points per game
TIP-INS
• Jamarii Thomas leads the MEAC with 17.1 points per game, while standing second in assists (5.0) and steals (2.2) per game
• Kuluel Mading ranks second in the MEAC with 1.2 blocks per games
• Jaylani Darden ranks 10th in the MEAC in rebounds per game (5.2)
• Norfolk State is shooting a MEAC-best 45.1 percent from the floor, also leading the conference in free throw percentage (74.1)
• Jamarii Thomas ranks 11th in the nation with 145 made free throws this season, shooting 81.9 percent from the charity stripe
LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT
After the Spartans complete this homestand, they will head to Baltimore, Md. for a pair of matchups against Coppin State and Morgan State.