Get ready for a pivotal MEAC men’s basketball matchup this Thursday night as Norfolk State takes on Howard. The Spartans bested the Bison in their previous January 2024 encounter at Burr Gymnasium, securing a 65-61 win.
A Norfolk State win would give the program the outright MEAC regular season title. It clinched at least a share of the title with Monday’s win against UMES. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 9 PM.
“It’s going to be a big game,” Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones. “Forget about ESPN and all that stuff, its secondary. We need to show that we want to be the outright champ.”
Norfolk State | OVR 19-10 | MEAC 10-3 (1st) | HOME 11-0
Increased efficiency at the charity stripe is one of the many benefits Norfolk State enjoys on its home court. The Spartans are making 73.5% of their free-throw attempts at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.
Norfolk State will need to focus on forcing difficult shots, especially after a challenging stretch in which it allowed opponents to shoot at a 45.0% accuracy from the field. This is a notable jump from a season-long figure of 41.6%.
Howard | OVR 15-15 | MEAC 9-4 (3rd) | AWAY 6-8
Over its last five contests, Howard’s bench made limited offensive impact, averaging only 14.6 points per game in that duration.
The Bison’s defensive effort has yet to reach its full potential. Howard has recorded a modest average of only 5.5 steals per road game.
Key Metrics
- Norfolk State prioritizes taking care of the ball. The Spartans average just 12.7 turnovers per game, which ranks as the second-fewest per game in the MEAC this season (the conference average is 14.7 turnovers per game).
- Look for Howard to get out quickly in this one. The Bison average 35.4 first half points per game, which ranks second in the MEAC (conference average is 31.7).
Gameday AI content is produced using Artificial Intelligence technology powered by Boost Sport before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday.
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