Nov. 26, 2009
Game Notes 
North Carolina Central University "Eagles"
(1-5 overall, 0-5 road)
vs.
The University of Iowa "Hawkeyes"
(1-4 overall, 1-2 home)
Sat., November 28, 2009- 1:30 p.m. (EST)
Carver-Hawkeye Arena- Iowa City, Iowa
Television Coverage: Big Ten Network
Radio Coverage: NCCU Sports Network
WRJD 1410 AM and NCCUEaglePride.com
THE GAME
After losing all three contests in the Miami subregional of the 2009 2KSports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer, the Eagles get back on the road after pausing to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. This time it's up to Iowa City, Iowa where NCCU faces the University of Iowa for an afternoon showdown at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Both teams enter Saturday's contest on a losing streak with NCCU losing three in-a-row in Miami, while Iowa lost two straight in Kansas City against No. 3/3 Texas and Wichita State.
THE SERIES
NCCU and Iowa have never met on the hardwood, but this is NCCU's second Big Ten opponent in the last two seasons. The Eagles lost to Michigan on Dec. 29, 2008 77-57 at Crisler Arena.
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HAWKEYES
The University of Iowa Hawkeyes come into the matchup with a 1-4 record, that includes losses to 2008-09 opponent Duquesne (52-50), a season opening loss to Texas-San Antonio (62-50), and two neutral site losses in Kansas City, Texas (85-60) and Wichita State (74-57). The Hawkeyes are led by Matt Gatens, a 6-5, 215-pound sophomore from Iowa City, Iowa, who is the only Hawkeye averaging double-figure numbers putting up 10.2 points per contest. He was held in check against the Shockers on Tuesday night scoring just 8 points on 3-of-8 shooting. Five more Hawkeye players average 7.2 points or better. Iowa will enter Saturday afternoon's contest against NCCU losers of two straight and are coming off a 17-point loss to Wichita State on Tuesday night. The Shocker defense held Iowa to just 7-of-14 shooting in the second half. In his third season at the helm in Iowa City, Todd Lickliter has been put in charge of leading the Hawkeyes back to the top of the Big Ten. Currently 29-40 at Iowa, and 160-101 in nine years of college coaching, Lickliter got his name out there as one of the hottest commodities in college basketball after taking Butler University to the "Sweet 16" in 2003 and 2007. Named as the Division I National Coach of the Year in the 2006-07 season, he was hired in Iowa City in April of 2007.
UP NEXT
NCCU has another short turnaround as the Eagles will fly to Colorado Springs, Col. to take on the Air Force Academy on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 9:00 p.m. (EST). This will be NCCU's first-ever hardwood meeting with the Falcons of Air Force, but the Lady Eagles took part in the Air Force Academy Classic dropping a 68-47 decision to Air Force and beating Texas-Pan American 62-57 in overtime to earn its first victory of the season. That tournament took place Dec. 5-6 at Clune Arena.
LAST TIME OUT: JMU-79, NCCU-66
MIAMI, FLA. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- The North Carolina Central University men's basketball team wrapped up its portion of the Miami subregional round with a 79-66 loss to James Madison University in the 2009 2KSports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer at U.S. Century Bank Arena on Monday afternoon. Once again a great start by the Eagles was overeshadowed by a momentum swinging run by the opposition. With 14:44 to go in the first half, Vincent Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) hit his first three-pointer on the day, giving NCCU a four-point advantage at 15-11. Over the next 13:49 James Madison outscored NCCU 34-14 to take a 45-29 lead into the halftime break. The main reason for the explosion, turnovers. NCCU committed 12 first-half turnovers, and the Dukes converted that into 16 points, the difference in the first 20 minutes. The second half James Madison stretch the lead to 21at 52-31 following a Trevon Flores layup with 16:49 to go in the ballgame. A quick 6-0 run by the Eagles forced JMU head coach, Matt Brady, to call a timeout with the score 52-37. The first possession out of the timeout saw the Dukes, Darren White, hit a three point to get the margin back to 18, and JMU never looked back. NCCU (1-5) continued to fight to the final whistle and keeping the margin at or around its final score at 79 to 66. For the third straight contest, junior college transfer, C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) led the Eagles in scoring with 21 points, including 16 in the second half. Wilkerson was stellar from the charity stripe going 11-for-12 from the line to lead the Eagles in its third straight loss. Also stepping up in the contest, freshman Dami Sapara (Staten Island, N.Y.), who nearly earned his first career double-double 9 points in 8 rebounds with an assist, a block and a steal in 21 minutes of action. Not to be forgotten Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) added 12 points and six rebounds scoring in double figures in his second straight game.
THE EAGLES' COACH
LeVelle Moton (NCCU, 1996) makes his debut this season as head men's basketball coach. He initially returned to his alma mater as assistant men's basketball coach in July 2007. The NCCU Hall-of-Famer joined the NCCU staff after serving as head boys basketball coach at Sanderson High School in his hometown of Raleigh, N.C. During his three-year tenure (2004-07) at Sanderson, Moton led the Spartans to an overall record of 59-25, while winning back-to-back Cap-7 tournament championships in 2006 and 2007. A 1996 graduate of NCCU with a bachelor's degree in recreation administration, Moton became the school's third all-time leading scorer with 1,714 points during his historic hardwood career as an Eagle from 1992-96, earning the nickname "Poetry `n Moton." During his junior and senior seasons, Moton was voted All-CIAA First Team, NCAA Division II South Atlantic All-Region First Team and NCAA Division II All-America Honorable Mention. He was named the 1996 CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Men's Basketball Player of the Year and was inducted into the NCCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Among NCCU's all-time career leaders, Moton ranks first in 3-point field goals made (213 of 529), third in scoring (1,714 points), fourth in free throws made (363 of 467), fifth in assists (278), eighth in field goals made (569 of 1,159), 10th in scoring average (16.6 points per game), and 11th in steals (110). As a junior (1994-95), he topped the CIAA and was No. 16 in the NCAA Division II in scoring with an average of 23.5 points per game. His 87 made three-point field goals that year remains the school's single-season record. As a senior (1995-96), he placed second in the CIAA with 21.3 points per game and ranked among the conference's top 10 statistical leaders in assists, free throw percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. Moton played on three CIAA Southern Division Championship teams and made two trips to the NCAA playoffs, including an NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Championship title in 1993. After NCCU, Moton played four years of professional basketball in Indonesia (1996-97) and Israel (1998-99). Throughout his professional playing career, Moton averaged 25.0 points per contest, and dished out a little more than five assists per game as a pro. He was head coach at West Millbrook Middle School for three seasons (2001-04) before taking over the Sanderson boys basketball program in 2004. Moton is a 1992 graduate of Enloe High School in Raleigh, N.C., where he was named Cap5 Player of the Year as a senior. Moton and his wife, Bridget, married on June 28, 2008. The couple celebrated the birth of their first child, Brooke, on March 12, 2009, just 13 days prior to being named Head Coach.
WILKERSON EARNS PRAISE AT MIAMI SUBREGIONAL
Junior college transfer C.J. Wilkerson racked up 56 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists through three games in the Miami subregional of the 2009 2KSports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer to make the All-Event team. He averaged 18.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over the weekend. During the Murray State contest on Sunday night, Wilkerson earned his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 boards as the Eagles battled tough with the Racers. In both the FIU and James Madison contests, Wilkerson ended up with 21 points but it was against the Dukes where the junior went 11-for 12 from the free-throw line. In Friday's ballgame against the Golden Panthers of FIU, C.J. went 8-for-20 from the field combining with Vincent Davis to lead the Eagles charge. Throughout the three-game stretch the Oxford, N.C. product also went an astounding 17-for-18 at the charity stripe to lead the Eagles. Murray State's Ivan Aska won MVP honors during the event. Danero Thomas (Murray State), Julius Bell (James Madison), and Bill Gary, Jr. (FIU) along with Wilkerson made up the All-Event team at the Miami subregional. Wilkerson now leads the team averaging 16.3 points per game along with 5.2 rebounds. He is also second on the team with 21 assists in his first season at NCCU.
EAGLES STREAK FROM LONG RANGE
As a team, NCCU has made a three-point field goal in 108 consecutive games. The Eagles hit 5-13 (38.5%) from the arc in the 79-66 loss to James Madison on Monday afternoon.. The last time the Eagles failed to make a shot from beyond the arch was on Jan. 17, 2006, during a 64-61 victory over Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C. From the start of the 1991-92 season until Jan. 14, 2006, NCCU made a three-pointer in 395 consecutive games, making the Eagles' run 503 out of the last 504 contests.
16,846 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
The first schedule under new head coach LeVelle Moton sees 15 contests inside state lines, and trips to eight different states (Florida, Colorado, Iowa, New York, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio) in the Eagles third season at the Division I level. NCCU is set to travel approximately 16,846 miles to complete its 2009-10 basketball schedule.
THE CONFERENCE CAROUSEL
In the Division I Basketball tier of the NCAA, there are 32 conferences across the nation. During the 2009-2010 season, the NCCU Eagles will play teams from 14 different conferences. Listed are the conferences in which NCCU will face: ACC (North Carolina, Miami, Virginia Tech, and NC State), Sun Belt (FIU), Ohio Valley Conference (Murray State), Colonial Athletic Association (James Madison), Big Ten (Iowa and Indiana), Atlantic Sun (Florida Gulf Coast), Mid-American Conference (Ball State), Big South (High Point), Mountain West Conference (Air Force), Conference USA (East Carolina and SMU), Patriot League (Colgate), The Horizon League (Youngstown State), The Summit (Western Illinois), MEAC (Maryland Eastern Shore)
SEPTEMBER 10, 2009- NCCU IS ACCEPTED INTO MEAC
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced that North Carolina Central University will join the conference as its 13th member, as voted on by the conference's Council of Chief Executive Officers (CCEOs), effective July 1, 2010. A press conference is set for noon on Sept. 10 at the McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium on the campus of NCCU in Durham, N.C. "I am elated to have such an outstanding academic institution as North Carolina Central to return to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference," said MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas. "I would like to commend Chancellor Nelms, Dr. Wicker-McCree, and the entire NCCU family for all their continued hard work as they make the transition from Division II to Division I." Commissioner Thomas added, "The addition of NCCU keeps us in compliance with our long range strategic plan of adding up to 14 members. NCCU is a perfect fit for the MEAC." NCCU is in the third year of its reclassification from NCAA Division II to Division I. NCCU is one of seven founding member institutions of the MEAC. The Eagles withdrew from the conference in 1979, opting to remain a Division II member when the conference reclassified to Division I. From 1979-2007, NCCU competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). "This is a significant milestone in North Carolina Central University's transition to Division I," said NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms. "Membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a win-win proposition for our student-athletes, alumni and fans -- indeed, all our university constituents." "This is wonderful news for North Carolina Central University, but most importantly for our student-athletes, coaches and fans," said NCCU Director of Athletics, Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree. "The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a fantastic conference with highly competitive academic and athletic institutions. For NCCU to return to the MEAC and be part of its rich history is a tremendous step for our athletics program. We now have a place to call home." The addition of NCCU marks the second expansion for the MEAC since 2007, when Winston-Salem State became the 12th member of the conference. Prior to Winston-Salem State, the MEAC expanded in the 90's with the inclusion of Norfolk State in 1997 and Hampton in 1995. NCCU becomes the third MEAC institution located in the state of North Carolina and the fourth in the Carolinas, joining WSSU, North Carolina A&T State (Greensboro), and South Carolina State (Orangeburg).
ABOUT THE MEAC:
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a NCAA Division I Conference, is in its 40th year of operation heading into the 2009-10 academic school year. The MEAC is made up of 12 outstanding, historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman University, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, South Carolina State University, and Winston-Salem State University.
EAGLES IN TRANSITION - THIRD YEAR OF DIVISION I
North Carolina Central University, located in Durham, N.C., is in its third season of NCAA Division I competition. The Eagles will be eligible for the NCAA post-season at the end of the four-year reclassification process in the 2011-12 campaign.
NCCU: A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE MEAC
NCCU was a founding member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and competed in the league from its beginning in 1971 until 1979. The following text is from the History section of the MEAC web site: "In 1969, a group of innovators long associated with intercollegiate athletics met in Durham, NC to discuss the feasibility of organizing a new conference based along the Atlantic coastline. A number of representatives from different institutions joined the steering committee in a two-day discussion about the new conference. Seven of these institutions agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Delaware State College, Howard University, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University. The MEAC headquarters remained in Durham, N.C. until 1981, moving to Greensboro March 26, 1982. In August 2005, the MEAC relocated to its current location in Virginia Beach, Va. The league was confirmed in 1970, kicking off its first season of competition in Football in 1971."
NCCU MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY LESSON
For decades, the NCCU men's basketball program has been competitive among its peers in the NCAA Division II ranks. The Eagles have made six trips to the NCAA playoffs in the past 20 years, including a regional title in 1993 and the national championship crown in 1989. NCCU has produced Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and legendary Boston Celtic Sam Jones. He played with the Eagles from 1951-54/1956-57, scoring 1,745 points under head coach John B. McLendon, also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
ASSISTANT COACH MARTIN PART OF WOLFPACK HISTORY
NCCU assistant coach Ray Martin (Notre Dame, 1977) spent eight seasons early in his career as an assistant coach at N.C. State under legendary head mentor Jim Valvano. During Martin's tenure on the Wolfpack sideline from 1980-88, N.C. State won two ACC Tournament Championships (1983, 1987) and made six trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a National Championship title in 1983. N.C. State celebrated the 25th anniversary of the national championship team on Feb. 16, 2008. Martin missed the event as he was on the Eagles' bench helping to guide NCCU to a victory over Chowan University in Durham, N.C.
