Spartans’ Jones expects new crop, transfers to play key roles
Norfolk State men at a glance
Last year:
(first).
Coach: Robert Jones (109-96 in seven seasons with NSU)
Season opener: Tuesday at home vs. Greensboro College, 8 p.m.
22-14, 14-2 MEAC
Strengths
The Spartans lost the bulk of their scoring to graduation and transfers, but Jones is optimistic that the cast of freshmen and junior college players he brought in can make up the difference. Senior guard Steven Whitley (9.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4 apg) is the only returning key contributor, leaving several starting jobs up for grabs. Senior guard Jermaine Bishop (11.6 ppg, 4.7 apg as a junior at Saint Louis University two years ago) was the first to grab one. The rest might not be worked out until well into the season.
Weaknesses
More of the same: The roster is rife with uncertainty, which makes it difficult to point out specific weaknesses yet. It includes 10 new players who’ve had varying degrees of success at other schools, so the best description of weaknesses might be that it remains to be seen. Jones, though, is one of just two active MEAC coaches with winning overall records.
Prediction
NSU was picked to finish fourth in the MEAC behind defending tournament champion North Carolina Central, Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T. The prediction, based on how the Spartans performed last season and how much turnover they had, could be viewed as a sign of respect for the program.
Schedule
5: Greensboro College, 8 p.m.; 8: Penn State Wilkes-Barre, 7 p.m.; 12: at Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m.; 14:
The Apprentice School, 8 p.m., 19: at Bradley, 7 p.m.; 22: at Northwestern, 8 p.m.; 26: Caldwell, 5 p.m.; at Monmouth, 7 p.m.
1: Niagara, 4 p.m.; 4: at Southern Illinois, 8 p.m.; 7: at Hampton, 6 p.m.; 15: at Loyola Chicago, 2 p.m.; 20: Bowling Green, 7 p.m. in Atlantic City, N.J.; 21: Drexel or Quinnipiac, 2 or 4:30 p.m., at Atlantic City, N.J.; 29: at Stony Brook, noon
4: Bethune-Cookman, 6:30 p.m.; 6: at Coppin State; 11: at Howard, 4 p.m.; 18: Maryland Eastern Shore, 6:30 p.m.; 25: South Carolina State, 6:30 p.m.; 27: Florida A&M, 7 p.m.
1: at North Carolina A&T, 7 p.m.; 8: Delaware State, 6:30 p.m.; 15: Morgan State, 6:30 p.m.; 17: Coppin State, 8 p.m.; 22: at Florida A&M, 4 p.m.; 24: at BethuneCookman, 7:30 p.m.; 29: Howard, 6:30 p.m.
2: at Delaware State, 7:30 p.m.; 5: at Morgan State, 7:30 p.m.; 10-14: MEAC tournament (at Scope).