WASHINGTON (March 6, 2024) – Howard University men's basketball team closes out the regular season Thursday (March 7) at rival Norfolk State (NSU). Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m., live on ESPNU.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
Bison Nation can follow all the action via live stats and/or ESPNU.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
Monday (March 4), graduate guard Jordan Hairston (Fairfax, Va.) scored a season-high 24 points and junior guard Bryce Harris (Brentwood, N.Y.) added 23 points to help the Bison run away to an 85-66 win over Delaware State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Sophomore forward Shy Odom (Roxbury, Mass.), who has battled injuries most of the season (played in only 18 games), is finally healthy, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and dropping four dimes for good measure.
 
LAST MATCHUP
 
On Jan. 20, Harris recorded a double-double (team-high 21 points & 11 rebounds), but a scoring drought over the last two minutes resulted in a 65-61 loss to NSU at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Graduate forward Seth Towns (Columbus, Ohio) scored a season-low six points on 2-of-9 shooting from the floor.
 
Junior guard Marcus Dockery (Washington) tallied 11 points while sophomore Ose Okojie (Brampton, Canada) and graduate guard Joshua Strong (Brooklyn Park, MN) each finished with eight points in a losing cause.
 
The Spartans, who had lost three straight to the Bison, including last year's tournament final, were led by Allen Betrand and Jamari Thomas with 14 points each and Christian Ings chipped in 11 points.
 
MATCHUP PREVIEW
 
SERIES RECORD
 
The two rivals met on January 20 and the Spartans came away with 65-61 win in D.C., that snapped a Howard three-game win streak. The victory also ended a Howard 10-game home win streak.
 
The Spartans lead the series, 18-8, with 16 of the last 19 contests being decided by six points or less since 2006.
 
HOWARD
 
Howard looks to extend its current four-game win streak.
 
The Bison (15-15, 9-4 MEAC) are led by Harris (16.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 31 total steals, 57-percent shooting from the field, 42-percent from three, 28 total blocks & 74-percent from the free throw line), Towns (14.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, team-leading 67 total assists, 28 total steals, 13 total blocks, 62 made three pointers & 84-percent from the free throw line), Dockery (13.4 ppg, career-high 57 total assists, 83-percent from the free throw line, team-leading 80 made three pointers), Odom (9.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 10 total steals, 12 total blocks & 46 total assists in 18 games) and Dom Campbell (8.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg & 49-percent from the field) and Hairston (5.3 ppg, 45-percent from the field & 83 percent from the free throw line).
 
NORFOLK STATE
 
Norfolk State (20-10, 10-3 MEAC) is coming off a 69-50 home victory over Maryland Eastern Shore Monday (March 4) for its fifth win in the past six games.
 
The Spartans are led by Thomas (17.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, team-high 110 total assists), Jaylani Darden (7.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 54-percent shooting from the floor, 82-percent from the free throw line & 43 made three pointers), Bertran (11.1 ppg & 85-percent free throw shooting), Ings (7.9 ppg & 44-percent shooting from the floor) and junior forward Kuluel Mading (5.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg & team-leading 30 total blocks).
 
MEAC NOTES
 
HOWARD
 
The Bison lead the MEAC in field goal percentage (46-percent), three-point shooting (36-percent), three pointers made (7.8 per game) and field goal percentage defense (40-percent).
 
Individually, Towns is making a strong bid for MEAC Player of the Year consideration, leading the conference in three-point shooting (39-percent) while third in rebounding (6.7 per game), fourth in scoring (15.8 ppg), fifth in free throw shooting (85-percent) and eighth in assists.
 
Harris is a strong candidate for MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, topping the league in field goal percentage (57-percent), fifth in blocked shots, sixth in rebounding and scoring and ninth in free throw shooting (70-percent).
 
Dockery is second in three pointers made (2.5 per game) and 11^th in scoring (13.0 ppg).
 
Odom is 10^th in assists.
 
NORFOLK STATE
 
The Spartans (20-10, 10-3 MEAC) lead the conference in defense (68.1 points per game allowed), field goal defense (allowing 41 percent shooting), turnover margin, steals (8.8 per game) and free throw shooting (75-percent).
 
Individually, Thomas leads the conference in scoring (17.5 ppg) while second in assists and steals, fourth in assist/turnover ratio and seventh in three pointers made.
 
Darden is fifth in steals and Mading is third in blocked shots.
 
OTHER NOTES

• A Spartan victory gives them the MEAC regular season title outright. A Howard win would give the Bison a share of the regular season title.
• Norfolk State is undefeated (12-0) at home this season.
• Hairston has come on strong for Howard during the current streak, scoring in double figures in the four games, averaging over 15 points while shooting 60 percent from the field, a sizzling 51-percent from downtown.
• The Bison have played 13 different starting lineups due to a number of injuries.  No one has been as dominant as Harris this season. The junior is a "grown man," whether it is powering his way to the basket, grabbing rebounds in traffic or even occasionally knocking down three pointers. Oh, by the way, he has 80 dunks this season.
• Towns has changed his game as a scorer early in the season and now has become a facilitator, rebounder or a defender depending on what they team needs to win.
• Dockery is without question the premier shooter in the MEAC. The junior native of D.C., has been the conference leader from start to finish as the leader in shooting percentage from beyond the arc, connecting on 40-percent with almost three made per game.

 
NEXT UP
 
Howard, the defending tournament champion, awaits the seedings (TBA) for next week's MEAC Tournament, which gets underway Wednesday (March 13) in Norfolk, Va.
 
For more information visit the official Howard Athletics website at www.hubison.com.