NORFOLK, Va. (NSUSpartans.com) – For the second week in a row, Norfolk State senior guard Devante Carter was named the MEAC Player of the Week. In addition, senior forward J.J. Matthews earned the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week award on Tuesday when the conference office announced the weekly men’s basketball honors.
They led NSU to a pair of wins over the weekend at Morgan State to take over first place in the MEAC Northern Division. Carter averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 12-of-29 from the floor and 15-of-17 from the free throw line.
Matthews averaged 6.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 6-of-11 from the field in the two games at MSU’s Hill Field House.
Carter had his third career 20-point game after scoring 20 points in Saturday’s 74-69 win. He shot 7-of-16 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free throw line with three rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. He then made 5-of-13 from the floor and a career-high 9-of-9 from the free throw line with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in Sunday’s 68-65 victory.
In game 1, Matthews had four points, four rebounds, a career-high tying two blocks and a steal. He then added nine points on 4-of-6 shooting with six rebounds and another block in game 2 of the weekend series.
Carter won the player of the week award for the third time this season. Matthews took home the defensive player of the week award for the second time this year as well. NSU has won seven MEAC weekly awards so far this year.
In addition, Carter was named the Black College Sports Network’s Division I HBCU Player of the Week on Tuesday.
At 7-4, the Spartans currently sit a half game ahead of Morgan State and Coppin State (both 6-4) for first in the MEAC North. NSU owns a 12-7 overall record with just one regular season game left on Feb. 24 at home against Delaware State.
