SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Ca. (WRIC) — The Norfolk State University (NSU) Spartans Women’s Basketball team, one of college basketball’s best defensive teams on paper, is going to be put to the test in its Round of 64 matchup against the 2-seed Stanford Cardinal.
The Spartans, who won their second-consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday, March 16, rank among the top teams in Division I basketball in several important categories:
- 3rd-fewest opponents’ points per game (52.2)
- 4th-most steals per game (12.6)
- 5th-highest turnover margin (7.62)
- 6th-most turnovers forced per game (21.34)
- 11th-lowest opponents’ field goal percentage (35.6%)
- Tied for 22nd-highest scoring margin (15.2)
Stanford, the Spartans’ opponent tonight, are regarded as one of the nation’s top teams this year and also rank among the top teams in Division I in several important categories:
- 7th-most rebounds per game (44.58)
- 8th-lowest opponents’ field goal percentage (35.4%)
- 9th-highest assist-turnover ratio (1.46)
- 11th-highest scoring margin (18.3)
- 16th-most assists per game (18.1)
- 16th-most blocks per game (5.1)
- 16th-fewest turnovers per game (12.4)
- 23rd-most points per game (77.5)
- 44th-highest three-point percentage (43.92%)
Whoever wins will face the winner of tonight’s game between Maryland and Iowa State in the Round of 32.
