What’s on the line: Norfolk State basketball wraps up regular season against Howard, MEAC tournament looms

NORFOLK, Va (Release via Norfolk State Athletics) – The Norfolk State men’s basketball team wraps up the regular season tomorrow night against Howard University at 8 p.m. inside Joseph Echols Hall. Prior to tipoff, the Spartans will recognize the 2026 senior class as part of Senior Day festivities. 

SETTING THE SCENE 
Norfolk State (15-15, 8-5 MEAC) enters Thursday’s contest following a 90-84 road loss to Morgan State on Monday evening in Baltimore. The Spartans mounted a late push in the second half but were unable to overcome Morgan State’s strong perimeter shooting, as the Bears knocked down 14 three-pointers and shot 49 percent from the field in the contest. 

LAST TIME OUT 

• FINAL: Norfolk State 84, Morgan State 90  
• Anthony McComb III: 23 points (7-18 FG, 4-8 3PT, 5-6 FT)   
• Additional double-digit scorers: Jaquel Morris (16), Devon Ellis (14)   
• TEAM STATS
  • FG%: NSU 39.2% | MSU 49.1%   
  • 3PT FG%: NSU 26.3% | MSU 50.0%   
  • On Court Points: NSU 33 | MSU 90  
  • Points in the Paint: NSU 48 | MSU 24  
  • Second Chance Points: NSU 23 | MSU 2 

SPARTAN NEWS & NOTES 

• Morgan State snapped Norfolk State’s five-game winning streak with Monday’s 90-84 decision in Baltimore. 
• With the victory, Morgan State completed a season sweep of the Spartans for the first time since 2010. 
• Senior guard Anthony McComb III enters Thursday’s contest just 12 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone for his collegiate career. 
• Norfolk State has played several tightly contested games this season, with 18 of its 30 contests decided by 10 points or fewer, including eight games determined by three points or less. 

NORFOLK STATE IN THE MEAC STATS RANKINGS 
NSU enters the game as the MEAC’s statistical leader in multiple categories: 

• Norfolk State enters the weekend leading the MEAC in multiple categories: 
• Team Field Goal Percentage: 46.4% (801-1,726) 
• Team 3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 34.3% (180-525) 
• Three Spartans are averaging double figures in conference play:
  • Anthony McComb III – 17.5 ppg 
  • Elijah Jamison – 13.5 ppg 
  • Devon Ellis – 11.6 ppg   

NSU VS. HOWARD 

• Thursday’s matchup marks the 75th all-time meeting between Norfolk State and Howard. 
• Norfolk State leads the all-time series 54-16 despite falling earlier this season at Burr Gymnasium, 88-60. 
• The series between the two programs dates back to the 1967-68 season. 
• The Spartans have won four of the last six meetings between the teams. 

BISON SCOUT 

• Howard enters Thursday’s matchup with a 20-10 overall record and a 10-3 mark in MEAC play. 
• The Bison are riding a five-game winning streak and have won eight of their last 10 contests. 
• Howard last faced Coppin State on Monday, March 2, picking up a 90-70 victory over the Eagles. 
• In that contest, Cam Gillus recorded just the second triple-double in Howard men’s basketball history with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. 
• Cedric Taylor III led the Bison with 21 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. 
• Ose Okojie (18), Bryce Harris (16), Alex Cotton (16) and Gillus (12) also registered double-digit scoring performances in the win. 
• Harris leads the Bison in scoring with 523 points this season, averaging 17.4 points per game to lead the MEAC. 
• Taylor has been another key scoring option, averaging 17.7 points per game across 19 contests with 337 total points during that span. 
• Harris and Taylor are tied for the team lead in rebounds per game at 6.7 apiece. Harris has 202 rebounds on the season while Taylor has recorded 128. 
• As a team, Howard averages 77.5 points per game while allowing opponents 67.9 points per contest. 
• The Bison are shooting 46 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three-point range and 72.7 percent from the free throw line this season. 
• Head coach Kenneth Blakeney is in his seventh season leading the Bison and holds a 93-106 record at Howard. 

UP NEXT 
Norfolk State will await the conclusion of the MEAC regular season finales to determine its seeding for the upcoming MEAC Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Spartans will learn their opening-round opponent once the conference standings are finalized. 

WOMEN’S PREVIEW –

The Norfolk State women’s basketball team hosts Howard on Thursday, March 5, at 5:30 p.m. inside Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall with a share of the MEAC regular-season championship on the line. A win would give the Spartans a share of the title for the fourth consecutive season.

KEY STORYLINES

• Head Coach Jermaine Woods is in his first season as Norfolk State’s head coach. He won his 50th career game against North Carolina Central on Feb. 7, 2026
• Norfolk State and Howard meet for the 67th time in program history
• Howard has clinched a share of the MEAC regular-season championship. A Norfolk State win would give the Spartans a share of the title
• The Spartans seek their fourth consecutive MEAC Tournament championship after capturing the program’s fourth overall tournament title last season
• Da’Brya Clark has made 66 3-pointers this season and needs five more to break the program’s single-season record
• Norfolk State ranks 10th nationally in steals per game (12.8), 27th in blocks per game (4.9), 21st in turnovers forced per game (21.2) and fifth in field goal percentage defense (34.2%)
• Jasha Clinton ranks seventh nationally in total steals (96) and ninth in steals per game (3.43)
• Clark ranks 44th in 3-point attempts (198), 66th in total steals (66) and 50th in steals per game (2.54)

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday marks the 67th meeting between the two programs
• Howard leads the all-time series 39-27
• The series began in 1975-76, when Norfolk State defeated Howard 63-43
• Howard last won at Echols Hall during the 2016-17 season (66-60)
• NSU has won six of the last 10 meetings
• The teams have met in the MEAC championship game in each of the past four seasons
• Howard defeated Norfolk State 68-59 in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 31

SCOUTING THE BISON

• Howard enters the matchup on a 10 game winning streak and is 22-7 on the season (12-1 MEAC)
• The Bison defeated Coppin State (75-67) and Morgan State (84-65) last week
• Senior forward Zennia Thomas leads HU with 15.4 points per game, along with 7.8 rebounds per contest
• Redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart ranks second on the team with 12.0 points per game
• Howard averages 67.0 points per game, while allowing 61.4 points per contest
• The Bison shoot 40.4 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 71.4 percent at the free throw line
• Head Coach Ty Grace is in her 11th season at Howard

SPARTANS IN THE MEAC

• Norfolk State currently leads the MEAC in opponent FG % (.342), blocks (137), blocks per game (4.89), steals (358), steals per game (12.79), scoring defense (58.5), 3-point FG’s made (165), and in scoring margin (+6.0), and turnover margin (4.3)
• NSU ranks second in turnovers forced per game (21.2) and scoring offense (64.5)
• Jasha Clinton ranks third in the MEAC in points with 13.1 ppg, while Da’Brya Clark ranks second with 14.4 ppg
• Anjanae Richardson sits sixth in assists (2.9), ninth in scoring (10.6 ppg) and 17th in rebounds per game (4.5 rpg)
• Carmen Kweti leads the MEAC in blocks per game (1.5), total blocks (35), and ranks ninth in rebounds per game (5.7)
• Clinton also sits in fifth in the MEAC in field goal percentage (.422), while leading the conference in total steals (96), steals per game (3.4), and assists (3.9 apg)
• Clark ranks first in 3-PT FG pg (2.4), 2nd in steals (2.6 pg), 3rd in blocked shots (1.0 pg), 4th in free throw % (.780) and 10th in assists (2.2 pg)

UP NEXT
Norfolk State will await its opponent for the MEAC Tournament, scheduled for March 11-14 at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

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