Sunday, January 1, 2012

Norfolk State vs. Navy: A win today would confirm historic rise for NSU Spartans

 KYLE O'QUINN
6-10/240 CENTER, SENIOR
JAMAICA, NY
CAMPUS MAGNET H.S.






ANNAPOLIS, Maryland - The Norfolk State Spartans will shoot for their 10th victory of the season today as they ring in the New Year with a 4 p.m. tipoff at the Naval Academy.

If the Spartans win, it would the earliest they have won 10 games in their 15 years in Division I. And it would be a drastic improvement over the last three seasons, years in which the Spartans didn't reach the 10-win plateau until March.

"We're not talking about our record," Spartans coach Anthony Evans said. "We are taking it one game at a time. It's a cliche, but is an accurate one. "We cannot be thinking ahead to our conference games at this point. We have to concern ourselves with Navy."

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Norfolk State (9-5)at Navy (3-10)
Sunday, Jan. 1 • Annapolis, MD
Alumni Hall • 4 p.m.
MEDIA COVERAGE: Live Statistics/Video: http://www.navysports.com/
SERIES NOTES: This is the first meeting all-time between the two schools.

PENDARVIS WILLIAMS
6-6/195 GUARD, SOPH.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
THE HUN SCHOOL (N.J.)






SETTING THE STAGE
NSU plays its first game of the 2012 calendar year this Sunday when it travels to Annapolis, Md., for its first-ever matchup with Navy. The Spartans have won two in a row, both on the road, after an 84-74 win at St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 23. Three Spartans topped the 20-point mark in that one as Pendarvis Williams had a career-high 24 points, Kyle O’Quinn posted 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Chris McEachin added a career-high 20 points. NSU will be looking Sunday for its first 10-5 start since 1996-97, when the Spartans began 13-5 in their final season of play in the Division II CIAA.

Navy dropped its sixth straight game on Friday, a 65-56 home loss to Mercer. Jordan Sugars led the Midshipmen with 21 points. J.J. Avila paces Navy with 15.2 points per game, while Sugars is second at 10.3.

COACHES
NSU - Anthony Evans (St. Thomas Aquinas ‘94), 5th season at NSU and overall, 61-77.
Navy - Ed DeChellis (Penn State ‘82), 1st season at Navy, 3-10; 16th season overall, 222-241.

Williams, O’Quinn Earn Weekly MEAC Honors
Sophomore guard Pendarvis Williams was named MEAC Player of the Week for Dec. 26 after averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in wins over Toledo and St. Francis. Williams shot 65 percent in the two games. Williams had 17 points and assisted on Kyle O’Quinn’s game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds left in the 72-70 win at Toledo. Williams followed that up with a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting at St. Francis.

This marks Williams’ first time being named MEAC Player of the Week in his career. He was named Rookie of the Week once last season.

O’Quinn averaged 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots to earn his second Defensive Player of the Week honor this year. O’Quinn blocked five shots in the win over Toledo and added two steals against St. Francis. He averaged 8.0 defensive rebounds per game and also scored 18.5 points in the two victories.

Live Video Available
NSU will offer live video streaming of all 14 home men’s basketball games in 2011-12. The cost is $5 per game ($8 for a doubleheader when paired with a women’s game), and $60 for a season pass. Visit

By Matt Michalec, Assistant AD for Communications/MBB
VISIT: NSUSPARTANS

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