2020-21 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL
"HORNETS" (0-10; 0-5 MEAC North)
vs. NORFOLK STATE "Spartans" (8-6; 3-3 MEAC North)
Jan. 30-31, 2021 - 4:30 P.M.
Norfolk, Va. (Echols Hall)
Live Stream / Audio: NSUSpartans.com

Delaware State had its highest scoring output of the season in the 99-83 loss to Morgan State in its last outing on Jan. 24. The Hornets also outscored the Bears 49-41 in the second half after trailing 58-34 at the break. Myles Carter (sr.) led four double-figure scorers for the Hornets in the with 19 points,  his sixth straight game with 10-or-more points. Carter was seven-for-17 from the field with two three pointers, and three-for-three at the free throw line. He's now 25-for-27 at the line this season to lead the MEAC with a 92.6% mark. Entering this weekend, Carter is sixth in the league in scoring at 14.8 points per game. John Stansbury (jr.), making his season debut after sitting out the first nine games due to injury, came off the bench to add 13 points (7-7 FT), while Dom Fragala (jr.) contributed 12 and Shaft Clark (so.) chipped in a career-high 11 (4-5 FGs) for the Hornets vs. Morgan State in the last outing. Point guard Pinky Wiley (sr.) is also having another fine all-around season. Wiley ranks 11th in the MEAC in scoring at 13.1 points per game. He's also seventh in the league in assists at 3.6 per game (36 total) and is tied for fourth with a .805 free throw percentage. In addition, Wiley is second in the league in three-point field goals at 2.6 per game (26), highlighted by a career-best seven vs. Norfolk State on Jan. 17. He has nailed at least one three-pointer in 21 straight games, dating back to the 2019-20 season.  DSU's Zach Kent (so.) is third in the league in blocks at 1.5 per game (12 total).
 
Norfolk State is coming off back-to-back losses at Coppin State last weekend to fall to third place in the MEAC North standings (3-3). The Spartans dropped the first contest 81-71 and fell to the Eagles 81-77 the following day. Norfolk State is one of the MEAC's better defensive teams. The Spartans lead the league in scoring defense, allowing 72.7 points per game, while also ranking first in field goal percentage defense at .404. Offensively, Devante Carter (sr.) is the team's top scorer at 14.8 points per game to ranked eight in the MEAC. J.J. Matthews (sr.) is second on the club and 14th in the conference with a 10.5 point per game average. Matthews is also tops on the team and ninth in the MEAC in rebounding at 5.3 per game. He's also tied for third in the league in shooting percentage at .563.

Series History (NSU leads 31-21)    
The Hornets and Spartans are meeting for the third and fourth times in the two weeks.  Norfolk State has won the last eight meetings, including two at Delaware State on Jan. 16 and 17. NSU won this season's first meeting 87-76 and needed overtime to take the second contest 83-79. In the second contest, Delaware State's Pinky Wiley (sr.) had career-highs of 29 points, including the 1000th of his career, and seven three-point field goals. The Hornets had the final shot in regulation of game two, but could not connect to send the game into overtime. DSU was outscored 14-10 in the extra session. The Hornets have not defeated the Spartans since a 67-64 victory on Feb. 20, 2016 in Dover, Del. Delaware State is also seeking its first win in Echols Hall since a 73-63 overtime  victory on Feb. 15, 2012, a string of five games.