NORFOLK, Va. - The last non-conference game of the year for the Norfolk State men's basketball team comes the day after Christmas when the Spartans take on George Mason beginning at 4 p.m. at GMU's EagleBank Arena.
The Spartans will look to head into MEAC play with a winning record, as they currently sit 3-3 on the year. George Mason will be playing its third game this week after its previous five games were cancelled. The Patriots enter Saturday carrying a 4-1 mark.
Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast live on
ESPN+, available through the ESPN app. Live stats will be available as well through
George Mason's website.
Series History
This will mark the first ever meeting between the two schools. Of the 13 other Division I teams in the state of Virginia, George Mason is the only school NSU has never faced.
Scouting the Opponent
George Mason defeated VMI (68-66) on Monday and Towson on Wednesday (70-65) to resume play. The Patriots also own a 14-point win over another MEAC school in Howard back in late November. Jordan Miller averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the team's first three games but did not play in either game this week. Javon Greene (12.4 points) and Josh Oduro (10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds) score in double figures, with Oduro scoring 19 in Wednesday's win over Towson. The Patriots force 15 turnovers per game and are one of the top 50 teams in the nation in blocks. A.J. Wilson (3.0 per game) plays a big part in that.
Last Time Out
UNC Wilmington scored 11 straight points right near the end of the game, taking the lead for good in an 80-72 win over NSU last Friday at Joseph Echols Hall. Jake Boggs hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Seahawks ahead, the 15th and final lead change in the game. The Spartans fell despite a career-high 24 points from
J.J. Matthews on 10-of-15 shooting.
Devante Carter made 6-of-13 for 16 points, and
Kashaun Hicks added 12 points. NSU lost despite shooting 46 percent from the field and holding UNCW to 39 percent overall. The Seahawks made 28-of-31 from the free throw line and were +11 on the glass. NSU outscored them 21-12 in points off turnovers and 38-26 in points in the paint.
Quick Hits
• Norfolk State's defense continues to play tough. The Spartans now rank 18th in the nation in field goal percentage defense (36.7) and 45th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.6). They sit first in the MEAC in scoring defense (69.2), field goal percentage defense, and 3-point field goal percentage defense.
• So far this year, five of NSU's six opponents have been held to less than 40 percent overall shooting. No team has shot better than 32 percent from deep in any game as well.
• On the other side, NSU currently sits 23rd in the nation in 3-point shooting at 40.0 percent. A big reason for that is sophomore
Daryl Anderson, who is shooting 14-of-22 (63.6 percent), a mark that would rank fourth in the nation if he had enough makes per game.
Kashaun Hicks (8-of-18, 44.4 percent) is second on the team in 3-pointers.
• The Spartans are getting more than 30 points per game from their bench this year. They have outscored all six opponents in bench points, and for the year they are outscoring teams 33.0-16.5 in bench points per game.
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Devante Carter is third in the MEAC in scoring (16.8), fourth in rebounds (6.3) and sixth in assists (3.5). He is one of three players in the league in the top 10 of all three categories along with MJ Randolph of Florida A&M and Lagio Grantsaan of Morgan State.
Winning Record
NSU has had eight non-losing seasons in the last nine years. Prior to the start of that streak, NSU had a .500 or better overall record just twice in 14 seasons since moving to Division I in 1997.
Winning the State
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, NSU has the fourth-most wins (175) among the 14 Division I schools in the state of Virginia. The Spartans trail Virginia (250), VCU (227) and Old Dominion (184).
