Norfolk State Spartans
2021-2022 Overall Rank: #140
Conference Rank: #1 MEAC
Norfolk State has a few holes to fill from a team that finished 17-8 overall and 8-4 in MEAC play last season. That group reached the NCAA Tournament and defeated Appalachian State in the First Four before running into a Gonzaga team that crushed the Spartans 98-55. Coach Robert Jones will want to ride that momentum into 2021-2022 and it appears that he has been able to add the pieces he needs to compete for a conference title.
2020-21 Record: 17-8, 8-4
2020-21 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Robert Jones
Coach Record: 142-119 at Norfolk State, 142-119 overall
Key Departed Players:
Devante Carter, Guard, 14.9 ppg
J.J. Matthews, Forward, 8.3 ppg
Kyonze Chavis, Guard, 7.5 ppg
Kashaun Hicks, Guard/Forward, 8.0 ppg
Mustafa Lawrence, Guard, 5.0 ppg
Efstratios Kalagerias, Forward/Center, 1.1 ppg
Key Returning Players:
Joe Bryant Jr, Senior, Guard, 11.1 ppg
Tyrese Jenkins, Junior, Guard/Forward, 3.5 ppg
Jalen Hawkins, Senior, Guard, 10.1 ppg
Daryl Anderson, Junior, Guard, 4.8 ppg
Chris Ford, Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg
Nyzaiah Chambers, Junior, Forward, 2.4 ppg
Yoro Sidibe Junior, Guard/Forward, 1.0 ppg
Andre Bottoms, Sophomore, Guard, 0.9 ppg
Key New Players:
Kris Bankston, Senior, Forward, Transfer from Little Rock
Cahiem Brown, Junior, Guard, JC Transfer
Christian Ings, Junior, Guard, Transfer from Rider
Terrance Jones, Sophomore, Guard, JC Transfer
Dana Tate, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Siena
Projection:
Ten players averaged at least a dozen minutes per game last season and five of them are back. The senior duo of Joe Bryant Jr. and Jalen Hawkins should lead the way. Bryant ranked second on the team with 11.1 points per game and added 4.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals. Hawkins spent all of last season coming in off the bench and only averaged 17.6 minutes per game, but he proved to be a very prolific scorer during those minutes, averaging 10.1 points per game. Tyrese Jenkins, Daryl Anderson and Chris Ford should again play a role in the rotation. But in order to return to the NCAA Tournament, Norfolk State will need to get production from their five transfers. Kris Bankston comes from Little Rock where the 6-8 senior saw his playing time diminish recently, but back in 2018-2019 he averaged 8.2 points and 4.5 rebounds. The frontcourt also adds Dana Tate. Tate started his collegiate career at Rhode Island where he averaged 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds as a freshman. Tate only played in a handful of games as a sophomore before heading to Siena, where he did not suit up for the Saints. Tate was a pretty big recruit though and he has the physical tools to make a big impact. The last of the Division I transfers is Christian Ings, a 6-2 guard, who averaged 7.7 points and 2.4 assists at Rider last season.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 73.6 (111th in nation, 2nd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 69.7 (156, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.7 (244, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.4 (26, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.8 (118, 4)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.7 (47, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.5 (187, 4)
Rebound Margin: -0.6 (196, 3)
Assists Per Game: 12.1 (245, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.9 (153, 1)
