Norfolk State To Meet Howard In Thursday's Regular Season Finale

The Norfolk State men's basketball team heads to the nation's capital this week for a crucial finale with a regular season championship on the line.

The Spartans (20-10, 10-3 MEAC) face Howard (12-18, 7-6) on Thursday, Mar. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in a showdown at Burr Gymnasium. Both teams look to erase brief losing streaks and carry positive momentum into next week's MEAC Men's Basketball Tournament.

Norfolk State couldn't convert on two opportunities to clinch at least a share of the regular season conference title over the weekend, falling 91-88 at South Carolina State and 91-87 at North Carolina Central. With one game remaining on the schedule and sitting in a tie for first place with SCSU, the Spartans can earn at least a share of the regular season championship for the fifth time in head coach Robert Jones' tenure with a win against Howard.

Brian Moore Jr. led the Spartans with 24 points and six assists against the Eagles, shooting 12-of-13 from the free throw line. The Spartans erased a double-digit deficit in the final minutes of regulation, but the Eagles narrowly escaped the visiting team's pursuit in overtime.

Howard looks to right the ship on Thursday after a string of road conference losses. The Bison are led by freshman phenom Blake Harper, averaging 19.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season.

Norfolk State comfortably dispatched the Bison in the teams' first meeting of the season, coming away with a 92-75 victory at Echols Hall. Moore put together a clinical performance, scoring 30 points on an 11-of-18 shooting day, going 8-of-8 at the free throw line.

Thursday's game will air on ESPN+ with radio coverage available on WNSB 91.1 FM.

LAST TIME OUT

• Norfolk State dropped to 20-10 overall, 10-3 in the MEAC, with a 91-87 overtime loss at North Carolina Central on Monday
• Brian Moore Jr. led the Spartans with 24 points, playing a career-high 42 minutes
• Christian Ings (13), Kuluel Mading (13), Terrance Jones (12), and Chris Fields Jr. (11) also scored in double figures for the Spartans
• Norfolk State shot 57.6 percent from the floor (34-of-59), while NCCU shot 49.2 percent (30-of-61)
• NCCU guard Keishon Porter led the Eagles with 24 points
• North Carolina Central tallied 19 second chance points, holding NSU to just four

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday will mark the 69th meeting between the Norfolk State and Howard men's basketball programs
• Norfolk State leads the all-times series between the schools 53-15
• Norfolk State won the first regular season meeting between the team in January, coming away with a 92-75 victory at Echols Hall
• Brian Moore Jr. led the Spartans with 30 points in the first meeting 

BISON SCOUT

• Howard enters Thursday's game with a 12-18 record, 7-6 in MEAC play
• The Bison look to right the ship after three consecutive road losses
• Freshman phenom Blake Harper leads the Bison with 19.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game
• Howard damages opponents from deep, taking the most 3-pointers in the MEAC (22.7 per game) while holding the best 3-point percentage (.372)
• Howard has won the last two MEAC Tournament titles

*Courtesy of the NSU Athletics Department

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