Norfolk State Men's Basketball
CIT First Round
Tuesday, March 17; 7 p.m.
NSU at Eastern Kentucky, McBrayer Arena
Radio: Star 1310 AM, Live Audio | Hot 91.1 FM, Live Audio
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes

RICHMOND, Ky. - For the fourth straight season, the Norfolk State men's basketball team will compete in the postseason when the Spartans play at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) at McBrayer Arena. It will mark NSU's second straight appearance in the CIT.

Media Coverage
The contest will be broadcast live on Star 1310 AM and Hot 91.1 FM with Ross Gordon on the call. Live audio is available through the Star 1310 website as well as through the Hot 91.1 website. Both feeds are available on smartphones through the Star 1310 website or through www.TuneIn.com or the TuneIn Radio App (search for "WNSB") for Hot 91.1.

Fans can also follow along with the live stats and the live video feed.

Series History
Eastern Kentucky has won two of the three all-time meetings with the Spartans. The Colonels won the first meeting at the 2005 Paradise Jam before the teams split a home-and-home series in 2011-12 and 2012-13. NSU won as the home team on Nov. 27, 2011 before EKU returned the favor on its home court the following year.

About Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels own a 19-11 overall record and finished 11-5 and tied for first in the East Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. EKU averages almost 72 points per game, led by Corey Walden (18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.1 steals) and Eric Stutz (15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds). The duo also helps EKU shoot better than 46 percent overall and nearly 35 percent from 3-point range. The Colonels only turn the ball over 11.6 times per game while also forcing 18.9 for a +7.3 turnover margin. Thanks in part from Walden, EKU averages almost 10 steals per contest. Opponents only average 63 points per game despite shooting 44 percent overall and better than 38 percent from 3-point range against the Colonels. EKU also struggles on the glass, outrebounded by exactly 6.0 boards per game.

Last Time Out
NSU led for most of the first half but never by more than six, but Hampton went into the half up by three. The Pirates quickly extended the lead to double digits in the first half, and NSU could never completely recover in a 75-64 loss last Friday in the MEAC tournament semifinals at Scope Arena. D'Shon Taylor led the No. 2 seed Spartans with 16 points and seven rebounds. RaShid Gaston added 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting for a Spartan team that only hit 21-of-55 (38.2 percent). No. 6 seed Hampton shot 32-of-38 from the charity stripe. It marked NSU's fourth semifinal appearance in the last five years and the seventh in the last 10.

Player Tidbits
Jeff Short
 • Has totaled 35 assists (2.7 per game) last 13 games and 56 rebounds (4.7 per game) in last 12 games
 • Shooting 53-of-64 (82.8 percent) from the free throw line the last seven games
 • Needs two more free throws to break the school's Division I record of 156 held by Kyle O'Quinn
 • Has tallied at least 15 points in 24 of last 28 games
 • Has scored in double figures in 28 straight and all but one game this year
 • Shooting 142-of-247 (57.5 percent) from 2-point range
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in scoring (19.2), 5th in minutes (34.1), 8th in free throw percentage (82.0), field goal percentage (49.9) and 3-point field goal percentage (38.7) and 10th in 3-point field goals (2.0)
 • Stands 27th in the nation in scoring (19.2); Also ranks in total points (18, 634), total field goals (28, 207), field goal percentage (69, 49.9), free throw percentage (95, 82.0), minutes (161, 34:03) and 3-point field goals per game (218, 1.97)
 • Ranks 11th in the nation among guards in shooting percentage; Would rank 45th in 3-point field goal percentage but does not have enough makes on the year
 • Ranks 184th in NCAA Division I in career scoring average (12.0)
 • Stands 4th in NSU D-I single season records in points scored (634); Also stands 2nd in free throws (155), 4th in field goals (207), 3-point field goals (65) and free throw attempts (189), 5th in scoring average (19.2) and free throw percentage (.820), 7th in 3-point field goal attempts (168), 9th in field goal attempts (415), 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (.387) and 15th in field goal percentage (.499)
 • Also ranks 7th in free throw percentage for overall single season records, 7th in 3-point field goals and 10th in free throws made (See table page 6)
 • Stands 18th in NSU career records with 65 3-point field goals (See table page 7)

RaShid Gaston
 • 105-of-161 field goals (65.2 percent) last 16 games
 • Has at least one block in 18 of last 19 games
 • Scored in double figures in 11 straight from Jan. 19-Feb. 5 and in 15 of the last 17 games
 • 19 10+ rebound games this season
 • Ranks 2nd in the MEAC in rebounds (9.5), defensive rebounds (6.2), offensive rebounds (3.3) and field goal percentage (61.6), 7th in scoring (15.3) and 8th in blocks (1.2)
 • Stands 6th in the nation in field goal percentage (61.6) and 9th in double-doubles (17); Also ranks in total rebounds (25, 296), rebounding (24, 9.5), offensive rebounds (27, 3.33), defensive rebounds (35, 6.23), scoring (182, 15.3) and blocks (192, 1.19)
 • Ranks 28th in NCAA Division I in career double-doubles (22), 32nd in field goal percentage (.572), 41st in rebounding average (7.6) and 110th in rebounds (614)
 • Stands 6th in NSU records with a .572 career shooting percentage and 14th in blocks (67) (See table page 7)
 • Ranks 3rd in NSU D-I single season records in field goal percentage (.616), 3rd in rebounds (296), 4th in rebounding average (9.5), 8th in field goals (194), 9th in blocks (37) and 14th in points (474)
 • Also ranks 6th in field goal percentage for overall single season records (See table page 6)

Jamel Fuentes
 • Averaging 5.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in the last seven games
 • Ranks 4th in the MEAC in assists (4.1) and assist-turnover ratio (2.0)
 • Stands 97th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (2.05) and 109th in assists (4.1)
 • Ranks 15th in NCAA Division I in career assists (545), 27th in assist-turnover ratio (1.93) and 65th in assist average (4.13)
 • Ranks 2nd all-time at NSU in assists with 545 (See table page 7) behind Billy Walker (1980-85)
 • Stands tied for 1st in games played (132) at NSU and 10th in career steals (151)
 • Ranks 4th in NSU D-I single season records with a 4.09 assist average and 4th in assists (131) (See table page 6)

D'Shon Taylor
 • Has posted 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in the last two games
 • Has totaled 79 rebounds (6.1 per game) in the last 13 games and shooting 32-of-41 from the free throw line in the last seven games
 • Has tallied at least one block in 10 of the last 14 games
 • Ranks 14th in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (35.8) and field goal percentage (44.8), 15th in scoring (13.0) and 18th in rebounds (5.1)

Malik Thomas
 • Stands 14th in NSU D-I single season records with 29 blocks (See table page 6)
 • Ranks 170th in NCAA Division I in career rebounds (537)

Jordan Butler
 • Grabbed career-high eight rebounds against South Carolina State
 • Ranks 10th in the MEAC in blocks (1.1) and 232nd in the nation (1.09)
 • Stands 11th in NSU D-I single season records with 35 blocks (See table page 6)

LaTre'e Russell
 • Has tallied 57 points (3.8 per game) in the last 15 games and 33 rebounds (2.4 per game) in the last 14 games
 • Career-high six rebounds vs. Hampton on March 13

Zaynah Robinson
 • Averaging 6.7 points in the last three games

Postseason History
Since moving to Division I in 1997, NSU has made four postseason appearances, all in the last four years. It started with the NCAA tournament in 2012 after the Spartans won their first-ever MEAC title. NSU went to the NIT in 2013 after winning the conference's regular season title at 16-0. Last year, NSU faced Eastern Michigan in the CIT first round. The Spartans are the only program in the MEAC to advance to the postseason the last four years.

Prior to their D-I days, the Spartans made 15 different appearances in the NCAA D-II tournament and six NAIA postseason appearances between 1965 and 1995. NSU advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in five different seasons: 1974, '86, '87, '94 and '95. The Spartans also made a D-II Final Four appearance in '95.

Better From the Line
After hitting less than 70 percent from the free throw line in 12 of the prior 13 games, NSU has shot a combined 152-of-211 (72.0 percent) over the last eight games.

Winning Record
NSU secured its fourth straight winning season this year. Prior to the start of that streak in 2011-12, NSU had a winning record just twice in 14 seasons since moving to Division I in 1997. The Spartans own an 86-50 record over the last four seasons, the best four-game stretch for the program since 1993-97 (94-26). NSU ranks second to North Carolina Central (92-37) during that time for the most overall wins in the MEAC.

NSU has also reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in four seasons and just the third time in the D-I era. Only the 2011-12 team (26) and the 2012-13 squad (21) had more wins.

Jones Named Finalist for Ben Jobe Award
NSU head coach Robert Jones has been named a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award, presented annually by CollegeInsider.com to the top minority head coach in Division I basketball. He is one of 16 finalists and one of three from the MEAC along with NCCU's LeVelle Moton and UMES' Bobby Collins.

MEAC Rankings
The Spartans rank No. 1 in the MEAC in rebounding margin (+4.8) and blocks (5.0). They also stand second in scoring margin (+4.2), field goal percentage (46.8), defensive rebounds (25.2), defensive rebound percentage (69.5) and assist-turnover ratio (1.0), as well as third in scoring offense (70.0), field goal percentage defense (40.6), rebounding (36.2), opponent rebounding (31.4), offensive rebound percentage (35.2) and assists (13.3).

NSU is the only school in the MEAC with three players ranked in the top 15 in scoring.

Shoot the 3
The team's 181 3-pointers on the season stand as the third-most all-time. The top 5 seasons have all come within the last five years, including 2011-12 (198), 2013-14 (187), 2010-11 (176) and 2012-13 (172).

Block Party
Over the last 21 contests, the Spartans are averaging 5.9 blocks per game and have outblocked the opposition by a collective 124-70 margin.

NSU has 166 blocks this season, the third-most ever for the program. In fact, the top 4 seasons have all come within the past five years, including 2010-11 (183), 2011-12 (169) and 2012-13 (151).

Thanks for the Points
NSU has outscored 13 of its last 18 opponents in points off turnovers and has had fewer turnovers than the opposition in eight of the last nine games. NSU has had at least 12 points off turnovers in 15 of the past 16 games. On the year, the Spartans are outscoring teams 14.7-13.9 in points off turnovers.

Limit Those Turnovers
The Spartans have committed 13 or fewer turnovers in eight of the last 10 games, including a season-low tying six against South Carolina State in the MEAC tournament. NSU is currently averaging 13.5 giveaways per contest this season. The school record for fewest turnovers per game was set in 1987-88 at 13.1. Only four times since 1978-79, when the stat was first kept, has NSU had less than 14 turnovers per game. The Division I record was set last year at 13.4.

On Fire
NSU's current 46.8 percent clip from the field is best since the Spartans connected on 48.1 percent of their shots in 1998-99. The team's 33.9 percent effort from 3-point range is behind last year's 35.2 percent clip, the best since 1998-99 (35.7).

So far this season, NSU has shot 50 percent or better overall in 15 games, including the most recent, a 52.1 percent night (25-of-48) against South Carolina State. The Spartans have also shot 48.2 percent over the last six games.

So far this season, the Spartans are 19-2 when they outshoot their opponents from the floor and 15-1 this year when outshooting teams from 3-point range.

Winning the Rebounding Battle
The Spartans have had the rebounding edge or been even on the glass in 27 of the 33 games this year. Dating back to last season, it also includes 38 of the last 45 opponents. On the season, the Spartans have a +4.8 rebounding margin, although they have grabbed just one more offensive rebound total this year than the opposition.

Nationally Ranked
The Spartans rank 25th in the nation in blocks (5.0) as well as in the top 150 in total blocks (23, 166), rebound margin (39, +4.8), field goal percentage (41, 46.8), defensive rebounds (58, 25.15), field goal percentage defense (74, 40.6), total rebounds per game (77, 36.21), scoring offense (96, 70.0), win-loss percentage (106, 60.6), scoring margin (120, +4.2), assists (127, 13.2), 3-point field goal percentage defense (126, 33.2) and offensive rebounds (142, 11.06).

Balanced Scoring?
NSU has four players averaging better than nine points per game, including leading scorer Jeff Short (19.2) as well as RaShid Gaston (15.3), D'Shon Taylor (13.0) and Malik Thomas (8.9). After those four, though, the next highest scorer is Jamel Fuentes at 3.2 points. Six players have tallied between 2.4 and 3.2 points per contest. NSU is getting outscored 19.7-15.3 in bench points this year.

A year after losing nearly 80 percent of its scoring from its senior class, NSU is now getting 78.5 percent of its scoring (1814-of-2310 points) from just four players. Those four have also combined for 91 of the team's 96 total double-digit scoring performances this year.

Specialty Stats
NSU has outscored the other team by an average of 7.5 more points in the paint (31.7-24.2). On the year, NSU has outscored or been even against 28 of its 33 opponents in points in the paint, including 11 straight from Nov. 22-Dec. 22. NSU has averaged 36.3 points in the paint in the last six games.

Opponents have attempted 183 more 3-pointers on the season than NSU.