Bulldogs Seek To Avenge Early Season Loss Versus Spartans

NORFOLK, VA (SCSU) — The South Carolina State men’s basketball team will wrap up its final game of a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) road swing Wednesday (Feb.15), against host Norfolk State at Echols Arena. Tipoff is 8 p.m., immediately following the women’s contest in a 5:30 p.m. start.

In their last outing, South Carolina State snapped a three-game slide to defeat league rival North Carolina A&T Monday at the Corbett Sports Arena. Eaves eclipsed the 1,000-point scoring mark finishing with a team-high 20 points, while Riley added 16 in the win.

In an earlier battle this season, South Carolina State dropped a tough, 65-62, loss to Norfolk in the closing seconds in Orangeburg.  Senior guard Eric Eaves led the Bulldogs with a team-high 16 points, while forward Tashombe Riley and guard James Richardson added 11 each. The Spartans lead the series 20-18 over the Bulldogs.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS: Norfolk State (12-13 overall, 9-2/2nd MEAC) rank among the top teams in the league and will be seeking its ninth straight win under head coach Robert Jones. In their last contest, the Spartans defeated a tough Maryland Eastern Shore team 75-69 at home. Jonathan Wade led all players with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

NSU is led by Wade with 19.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per outing. Zaynah Robinson is second on the team with 12.5 points along with a team-high 37 steals. Jordan Butler is the leader in the frontcourt with 7.0 rebounds, while scoring 7.6 points.

BULLDOG NOTE:   Eric Eaves and Ed Stephens became the first Bulldog duo in school history to reach the 1000-point milestone in the same season. Stephens reached the milestone against Hampton (Feb. 6, 2017) and currently has 1039 career points, while Eaves with 1,004 career points broke the mark against rival N.C. A&T (Feb.13, 2017) in only two seasons. The last player to reach the milestone was four-year starting point guard Khalif Toombs back in 2012-13.

Next up South Carolina State returns home to take on Coppin State on Saturday (Feb.21) in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. Tipoff is 2 p.m. for the women, with the men following in a 4 p.m. start afterwards.