DURHAM, N.C. – With the celebration of 2014 long gone, North Carolina Central University embarks on new territory as an NCAA Division I member – defending a championship.  The maroon and gray won both the MEAC regular season and tournament titles to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The accomplishments of that team were plenty:  With the 28 wins, NCCU tied the school record with both the 1989 NCAA Division II National Championship team and the 1950-51 squad that won the CIAA's Visitation Championship.  NCCU also recorded the most wins by a MEAC men's basketball team and the No. 14 seed in the East Region was the lowest seed in the conferences history.
 
Individually, Jeremy Ingram was named MEAC Player of the Year, becoming just the second Eagle in the program's history to earn conference player of the year honors, the other was sixth year head coach LeVelle Moton back in 1996.
 
Senior point guard Emanuel Chapman also left his mark on the program as the all-time assist leader with 617 helpers, which placed him in the nation's top 10
 
As the new season approaches, none of the above awards and honors matter according to Moton.
 
"With this team, we are not trying to return to the top.  This group is not defending anything because they have not won anything as a team.  Therefore, they should be humble and hungry enough to win their first championship together, and that's what we are building towards."
 
The 2014-14 Eagles return two starters (Karamo Jawara and Jay Copeland) from last year's squad as Moton and his staff will have the challenge of bringing together a team of eight newcomers and build them into a cohesive unit.
 
Unfortunately, Jawara will be the only one of the two able to play in the 2014-15 campaign as Copeland got injured during the preseason and will miss the season.  Jawara, the native of Bergen, Norway, showed flashes of his scoring ability throughout the year, scoring a career-high 16 points in the NCAA Tournament against Iowa State.  Copeland on-the-other-hand put up a 17-point, 12-rebound performance inside Savannah State's hostile Tiger Arena.  His size and strength could be missed on this year's roster.
 
The sixth man off-the-bench last season, Jordan Parks (Queens, N.Y.) topped the nation in field goal percentage (65.9 percent) according to ESPN.com on the way to averaging 10.1 points per game as a junior, fans can look for him to finish his NCCU career with a flourish.
 
"Both KJ and Jordan have taken over as leaders of the team," said Moton.  "Those two have done a tremendous job on and off the court."
 
After sitting out the first portion of the 2013-14, junior Dante Holmes (Baltimore, Md.) has an opportunity to prove himself with the loss of Ingram.  Holmes stepped up in a 74-61 home win over Hampton on Jan. 7 adding 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting.  The 6-3 junior shot 40.7 percent from three-point range last season and will have plenty of opportunities to add to that.
 
Sophomore walk-on Kevin Crawford (Blythewood, S.C.) will add depth to the backcourt as he returns for his second season as well.
 
Of the newcomers, Jamal Ferguson (Norfolk, Va.), Enoch Hood (Norfolk, Va.), and Nate Maxey (San Diego, Calif.) sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules are eager to get on the floor, something Moton has his eye on as well.
 
"They all have developed with a season under their belt," said Moton.  "Now they must perform when the lights are on.  Jamal will provide athleticism and toughness, while Hood (6-9, 200-pounds) and Maxey (6-11, 225-pounds) provides length, frontcourt size, shot blocking, and rebounding."
 
The next five Eagles will be the key to regaining that championship form.  Senior point guard Nimrod Hilliard (Madison, Wis.) comes to NCCU looking to step in after transferring from Lamar University due to the NCAA's APR sanctions.  During the 2013-14 season, Hilliard was the Cardinals' leading scorer at 14.1 points per game, while dishing out 4.8 assists per game.
 
"Nimrod is a great addition to the program," said Moton.  "He's quick and able to get anywhere on the court."
 
Anthony McDonald, another guard who comes to NCCU from Mississippi Valley State University, like Hilliard will also have one year to shine for the Eagles.  The 6-1, 180-pound guard from Aberdeen, Miss. played in all 32 games last season for the Delta Devils averaging 11.9 points per contest, shooting 35.9 percent (74-for-206) from three-point range.
 
"Anthony was arguably the best shooter in the SWAC last year," said Moton.  "Obviously, he brings a wealth of Division I experience and leadership that should be valuable to our program."
 
Jeremiah Ingram, a 6-7, 215-pound combo guard will bring more depth and athleticism to the program as he comes to the verdant hills from Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas, where the native of Detroit, Mich. averaged 19.9 points per game and 8.7 rebounds for the Trojans.  Ingram chose NCCU over San Jose State, Rhode Island, and a host of other institutions.
 
"Jeremiah will bring a dynamic level of athleticism to our program," said Moton.  "He averaged close to 20 points per game in what many think is the toughest junior college conference in the nation and we hope that translates to our program."
 
Rashaun Madison is the last of the newcomers that will be able to play immediately for the Eagles, as he hails from New Mexico Junior College after averaging 9.2 points per contest along with 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds a game.  The Norfolk, Va. product shot 35.3 percent (73-for-28) from three-point range in his sophomore season at NMJC.
 
"Rashaun is a tough guard that's extremely quick," said Moton.  "He is a knock down shooter that will get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do at this level."
 
The final newcomer will have to sit out the 2014-15 campaign due to NCAA Transfer Rules as junior Dajaun Graf (Charlotte, N.C.) returns to his home state after spending two seasons in Fort Myers, Fla. with Florida Gulf Coast University.  During his time down south, Graf was a big contributor off the bench for the Eagles playing in 72 games.  Graf was a member of the FGCU team that captured America's heart on the way to the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed.
 
"I really look forward to seeing what Dajaun does with another year of development in our program," said Moton.  "He's already a talented point guard that can do it all, the next step for him is to that the reigns as one of the team leaders in the future."
 
While the 2014-15 version of NCCU basketball may look great on paper, Moton will face perhaps his biggest coaching hurdle in trying to mesh nine newcomers with his existing squad, but this will be another example of how the sixth year head coach does not back away from anything.
 
"Our biggest hurdle that we must get over is everyone must buy in from day one," said Moton.  "Everyone from top to bottom must have a willingness to be a part of something that's bigger than them."
 
For the first time in Moton's tenure, size and depth will be more at his disposal than ever before.
 
"Anytime you have extra length that provides difficulties for opposing teams," said Moton.  "The challenge is finding different combinations that produce synergy."
 
After last season's magical run, if Moton and company can put the correct pieces in place and become a cohesive unit, the maroon and gray could find themselves in front of the nation once again come Selection Sunday.
 
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