THREE NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES || FOUR MEAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS DETAILS FLORIDA A&M NORFOLK STATE Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020 RATTLERS SPARTANS Time: 4 p.m. (Eastern)/3 p.m. (Central) Location: Tallahassee, Fla. 2019-20 Record: 10-14 (MEAC: 8-5) 2019-20 Record: 13-13 (MEAC: 9-2) Venue: Al Lawson Center (8,470) Rankings: NR Rankings: NR Series At A Glance: Norfolk State leads, 22-9 Head Coach: Robert McCullum (Birmingham Southern) Head Coach: Robert Jones (SUNY-New Paltz, 2002) Overall/Streak: Norfolk State - 17 wins Florida A&M Record: 31-58 (3rd season) NSU Record: 121-109 (7th season) In Tallahassee: 4-8 Career Record: 114-179 (10th season) Career Record: 121-109 (7th season) In Norfolk: 5-12 Statistical Leaders: Statistical Leaders: Neutral: 0-2 Points: Rod Melton (13.4 ppg); MJ Randolph (13.0 ppg) Points: Jermaine Bishop (14.6 ppg); Joe Bryant, Jr. (12.3 ppg) Last Meeting: 1/27/20 - Norfolk State, 95-67 Rebounds: DJ Jones (6.0 rpg); MJ Randolph (5.8 rpg) Rebounds: Devante Carter (5.4 rpg); Steven Whitley (5.1 rpg) TV/Streaming: FAMUAthletics.com Steals: MJ Randolph (1.7 spg) Steals: Caleb Dawkins (2.0 spg) GAME 25 Live Stats: FAMUAthletics.com Assists: MJ Randolph (2.6 apg); Kamron Reaves (2.3 apg) Assists: Steven Whitley (3.3 apg); Devante Carter (3.0 apg) ABOUT THE GAME a redshirt senior /// INSIDE THE NUMBERS /// 2019-20 SCHEDULE (H: 6-0; A: 4-12; N: 0-2) > Florida A&M saw its four-game win streak > Every player that completed his eligibility (10-14 Overall, 8-5 MEAC) snapped on Monday with an 81-71 loss to played his senior year has graduated in the DATE OPPONENT TIME/RESULT Maryland Eastern Shore McCullum era 1 NOVEMBER (0-5) > It was the first loss for the Rattlers in the Florida A&M had one player named to the 5 at USC L, 48-77 month of February and was the longest win MEAC HONORS All-MEAC Preseason Team - MJ Randolph, 8 at Hawai’i^ L, 52-65 streak this season > MJ Randolph was named the MEAC Rookie who was named to the third team 10 vs. Pacific^ L, 54-76 > Florida A&M’s last loss came on Jan. 27, a of the Year at the conclusion of the 2018-19 11 vs. South Dakota^ L, 82-85 95-67 defeat to Norfolk State season 3 The Rattlers played three games 23 at #13 Seton Hall L, 51-87 > Ironically, the Rattlers and Spartans will > MJ Randolph earned MEAC Preseason Third in Hawai’i at the Outrigger Resorts DECEMBER (2-4) meet again on Saturday to complete the two- Team honors Rainbow Classic 2 at Kansas State L, 58-76 game season series > MJ Randolph also earned MEAC Player of 4 at #21 Tennessee L, 43-72 > Norfolk State will enter Saturday’s game the Week honors on Dec. 24 7 16 at Portland L, 60-66 riding a three-game win streak > Rod Melton, Jr. was tabbed the MEAC Florida A&M will play seven of their 11 19 at Washington State L, 73-87 > The Spartans went through a spell of back- Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 7 non-conference games on the West Coast 21 at Seattle W, 71-57 to-back losses to North Carolina A&T State 31 at Iowa State W, 70-68 and North Carolina Central to begin Feb., but ABOUT FLORIDA A&M 9 JANUARY (4-4, 4-4 MEAC) have since beaten Delaware State, Morgan > The Rattlers will enter Saturday’s matchup The Rattlers were chosen ninth in the 4 at North Carolina Central* L, 45-61 State and Coppin State off an 81-71 loss, their first in five tries MEAC Predicted Order of Finish 6 at North Carolina A&T State* L, 90-97, OT > This will be the second meeting the Spar- > Rod Melton and MJ Randolph combined 11 MORGAN STATE* W, 77-68 tans and Rattlers, with Norfolk State rolling for 45 of the Rattlers 71 points in the loss to 10 13 COPPIN STATE* W, 65-54 to a 95-67 victory on Jan. 27 Maryland Eastern Shore FAMU head coach Robert McCullum 18 at South Carolina State* L, 65-81 > The Spartans hold the all-time series > Florida A&M shot nearly 54 percent from begins his third season at the school and 20 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL* W, 66-57 mark of 22-9, including winning their last 17 the floor, but shot 56 percent from the foul 10th overall 25 at Howard* W, 87-83 against the Rattlers line 27 at Norfolk State* L, 67-95 67 FEBRUARY (4-1, 4-1 MEAC) A LOOK BACK TO LAST SEASON ABOUT NORFOLK STATE Florida A&M is averaging 67.8 points per 1 BETHUNE-COOKMAN* W, 73-67 > Florida A&M had its first winning MEAC > The Spartans are coming off an 80-60 game and has allowed its opponents to score 74.7 points per game 8 HOWARD* W, 82-78, OT record since the 2006-07 season home victory on Monday over Coppin State 10 NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE* W, 79-60 > The Rattlers posted a 67-50 win at Jack- > Norfolk State, which shot nearly 90 per- 15 at Delaware State* W, 97-95, 2OT sonville, which was the school’s first non-con- cent from the foul line, got 24 points and five 73 17 at Maryland Eastern Shore* L, 71-81 ference victory since 2014 rebounds from Jermaine Bishop in the victory Florida A&M opened the season with 13 22 NORFOLK STATE* 4 p.m. > FAMU played in a school-record nine na- straight road games and will have its 24 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE* 8 p.m. tionally televised games last season UP NEXT first home game on Jan. 11 - a span of MARCH (0-0, 0-0 MEAC) > Florida A&M led the MEAC in attendance > The Rattlers return home for their final two 73 days from the start of the season 5 at Bethune-Cookman* 7:30 p.m. and was the only team in the conference to home games of the season as FAMU takes on average over 3,000 per home contest Norfolk State and South Carolina State 28,824 * - Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Game > Ifeanyi Umezurike was one of three play- > Florida A&M will travel to Bethune-Cook- Florida A&M has travelled 28,824 miles ^ - Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii) ers to graduate as he will play this season as man on March 5 to end the season this season All times are listed as Eastern Home Games are in ALL CAPS and BOLD RATTLER PROBABLE STARTERS /// SOCIAL MEDIA /// /FAMUAth @FAMUAthletics 2 3 4 25 34 @famuathletics Kamron Reaves MJ Randolph Rod Melton, Jr. DJ Jones Evins Desir Guard Guard Guard Forward Center FLORIDA A&M MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES 1 GAME 25 • NORFOLK STATE Brian Howard WEEKLY SCHEDULE [email protected] Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Practice Game 26 Off Practice Practice Travel Game 25 vs. S.C. State (8 p.m.) vs. Norfolk St. (4 p.m.) No Availability No Availability No Availability No Availability No Availability Post Game Post Game /// MEAC MEN’S BASKETBALLCONTACTS /// /// WEEKLY MEDIA PRESS OPPORTUNITIES /// Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach, Fla. INTERVIEWS: GAME DAY COVERAGE Director of New Media/Branding Dan Ryan All interview requests for Florida A&M Men’s Basketball Email [email protected] Phone 386.481.2278 coach Robert McCullum and any Florida A&M assistant CREDENTIAL REQUESTS: Athletic Website bcuathletics.com coaches and players must be coordinated through the Ath- All requests for media, radio, television, photography, Coppin State University Baltimore, Md. letic Communications Office. scouting and parking credentials for the 2019-20 Florida Director of Athletic Communications Steven Kramer A&M Men’s Basketball season, or for any individual game, Email [email protected] Players are available for interviews, either in person or should be made in writing, on company letterhead or Phone Number: 410.951.3729 Athletic Website coppinstatesports.com on the phone, before or after practice. In order to arrange via e-mail (company name in address), to Brian Howard. for player interviews, please provide at least 24 hours no- Requests should be made at least one week prior to the Delaware State University Dover, Del. tice to Brian Howard, Sports Information Director. Player game. Individual game credentials will not be mailed, but Sports Information Director Dennis Jones Email [email protected] interviews may be conducted at the Al Lawson Center or can be picked up in the Athletic Communications Office, lo- Phone 302.857.6068 in the Athletic Communications Office, located in Gaither cated in the Gaither Gymnasium, Room 204, the week of Athletic Website dsuhornets.com Gymnasium, Room 204. The Florida A&M training room, the game or at the Al Lawson Center Will-Call. Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Fla. men’s basketball locker room, weight room and meeting Director of Athletic Communications Brian Howard rooms are off-limits to the media. Your cooperation is ap- WILL CALL Email brian,[email protected] preciated. Any media credentials not picked up during the week will Phone 850.599.3849 Athletic Website famuathletics.com be available at Al Lawson Center Will Call, beginning three For telephone interviews, the student-athlete will be pro- hours prior to the game. Howard University Washington, D.C. vided with the number and will make the call at a mutual- Associate AD of Media Relations Derek Bryant Email [email protected] ly-agreed upon time.