NSU Basketball Roster: Who’s Who for the 2019-2020 Season

Here’s a look at the NSU basketball roster for the 2019-2020 Season Get to know the players and see how they stack up against the competition.

2019-2020 Roster:

The 2019-2020 NSU Basketball season is right around the corner and we have your first look at the roster! This year’s team will feature a mix of experienced upperclassmen and talented newcomers. Here’s a closer look at each player:

Upperclassmen:

Andrew Taylor (G, Sr.): Andrew is a four-year starter for the Spartans and one of the most experienced players on the roster. He is a dangerous three-point shooter and excellent defender. He will be relied upon to provide leadership for this year’s team.

Marcus Walker (G, Sr.): Marcus is another four-year starter who has been a key player for NSU during his time here. He is a very efficient scorer and does a great job of getting to the Free Throw Line He will also be counted on to provide leadership for this year’s squad.

Kendall Stephens (F, Jr.): Kendall transferred to NSU from Purdue two years ago and has been a key player for the Spartans since then. He is a versatile player who can score inside and out. He is also a good rebounder and defender.

Newcomers:

Dylan Painter (F, Fr.): Dylan is one of the top recruits in NSU history and he should make an immediate impact on the court. He is a 6’10” big man with great footwork and touch around the basket. He should be a force on both ends of the court for NSU this season.

Isaiah Robinson (G, Fr.): Isaiah is another highly touted recruit who should see significant playing time as a freshman. He is an explosive athlete with great speed and leaping ability. He needs to continue to work on his outside shot, but he has all the tools to be a very successful player at the collegiate level.

New Additions to the Roster:

This season, the NSU mens basketball team welcomes several new players to the roster. Get to know the new guys with this quick guide:

-Trey Porter is a 6’11” center who transferred to NSU from Ohio State He’s originally from Chicago, and he’s expected to make an immediate impact on the team.
-Ja’Cardo Hawkins is a 6’8″ forward from Baton Rouge Louisiana. He redshirted last season, but he’s ready to contribute this year.
-Rodney Chatman is a 6’1″ guard from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He played his first two seasons of college ball at Chattanooga before transferring to NSU.

Departures from the Roster:

The migration of players in and out of the roster is a constant in the world of college basketball Here is a look at the players that have departed from NSU’s roster since the end of last season.

Gone are starting point guard Xavier McDonald, leading scorer Trey Porter, and fan favorite Jordan Roland. All three have decided to pursue their basketball careers elsewhere.

Starting in their place will be freshman point guard Demetrius Dyson, junior shooting guard Elijah Baily, and junior small forward Ja’ Melvin Beasley.

Dyson comes to NSU from Oak Hill Academy where he was a highly touted recruit. Baily is a transfer from Hutchinson Community College where he was named an NJCAA All-American. Beasley is a local product from Norfolk who played his High School basketball at Maury high school

Key Returners:

The Norfolk State Spartans will look to build on a strong 2018-2019 campaign that saw the team win 23 games and earn a berth in the MEAC Tournament semifinals. The Spartans will return a core group of experienced players who will provide leadership and stability as the team looks to take the next step and compete for a MEAC title.

Headlining the group of returners is senior guard Derrik Jamerson, who was named First Team All-MEAC last season after averaging 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game Jamerson will be joined in the backcourt by junior Jerelle Washington, who averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 assists per game last season, and senior transfer Zaynah Robinson, who joins the Spartans after spending two seasons at Old Dominion University

In the frontcourt, Norfolk State will be led by senior forward Nic Thomas, who averaged 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season, and junior center Jesusemilore Talodabuja, who was named Third Team All-MEAC after averaging 9.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. The Spartans will also look to get production from junior forward Deron Powers and sophomore center Steven Whitley as they look to replace the production of graduated seniors Sam Williamson and Jordan Butler.

With a strong core of experienced players returning for the 2019-2020 season Norfolk State will look to make noise in the MEAC and compete for a conference championship

Players to Watch:

While every player on a Basketball team plays an important role, there are always a few players who stand out and contribute more to the team than others. Here is a list of players to keep an eye on for NSU’s 2019-2020 season.

senior guard Makinde London is one of the top returning scorers in the conference and he will be counted on to lead the team this season.

sophomore forward Sam Okpoko is another player to watch. He had a strong freshman season and will be looked to for scoring and rebounding this season.

Senior guard D’Angelo Richardson is another player that will be counted on for leadership and scoring. He is a versatile player that can shoot from long range or take it to the basket.

These are just a few of the players to Watch This Season so be sure to catch a game and see how they perform!

NSU’s Schedule:

The NSU men’s basketball team has finalized their schedule for the 2019-2020 season. The Spartans will open the regular season on Tuesday, November 5th at home against Bethel University NSU will then play five of their next six games on the road before returning home to play Mithicipher University on Saturday, December 14th. The Spartans will close out the year with three straight home games beginning with a December 21st showdown against conference rival Creighton University.

The Spartans will open conference play on January 2nd, 2020 at Seton Hall University. NSU’s first conference Home game will be against Butler University on Saturday, January 11th. The Spartans will then embark on a three-game road trip before returning home to take on Marquette University on Saturday, February 1st. NSU will close out the regular season with four of their last six games at home, beginning with a February 8th matchup against Xavier University

NSU’s Record:

The Norfolk State University Men’s Basketball team has a current record of (7-23), (4-11 MEAC). They have an overall record of (204-337) and a conference record of (109-217). The Spartans are currently coached by Robert Jones, who is in his 5th season with the team.

NSU’s Standings:

The Norfolk State Spartans men’s basketball team represents Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, United States The school’s team currently competes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference They are currently led by Head Coach Robert Jones and play their home games at the Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall.

The Spartans have appeared in one NCAA Division I tournament. Their lone appearance came in 2012 where they lost in the first round to Florida State

The team has also played in one National Invitation Tournament Their lone appearance came in 2013 where they lost in the first round to Iowa.

The Spartans have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament two times. Their first appearance came in 2019 where they defeated Hampton before losing to South Carolina State in the semifinals. The second appearance came in 2020 where they defeated Hampton again before losing to Gardner–Webb in the quarterfinals.

NSU’s Postseason:

The 2019-2020 NSU men’s Basketball Roster is as follows.

Head coach: Larrie Schmidt

Assistant coaches:
-Andre Green
-Chris Harriman
-Joe Mihalich

Player development coach: Marcus Lewis

Strength and Conditioning Coach Nate Yates

Athletic trainer: Alaeze Uchebo

NSU’s head coach

NSU’s men’s basketball team is led by Head Coach Jay Ladner. He started his coaching career at the University of Southern Mississippi before coming to NSU in 2019. In his first season at the helm, Ladner led the team to a 21-11 record and a second-place finish in the Southland Conference