Dec. 1, 2009

NCCU AT AIR FORCE NOTES

North Carolina Central University "Eagles"

(1-6 overall, 0-6 road)

vs.

Air Force Academy "Falcons"

(3-1 overall, 3-1 home)

Wed., December 2, 2009- 9:00 p.m. (EST)

Clune Arena- Colorado Springs, Colo.

Radio Coverage: NCCU Sports Network

WRJD 1410 AM and NCCUEaglePride.com

THE GAME

The Eagles enter this contest with a four-game losing streak on the heels of a 73-63 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend. The Eagles are 0-6 on the road this season, and are visiting its third state this year. NCCU is set to visit eight states (Florida, Colorado, Iowa, New York, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Ohio) during the 2009-2010 season. Air Force enters the game with a 3-1 record, and is coming off a 68-58 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday night. Air Force enters the game with a 3-1 record, and will play its fifth home contest of the year.

THE SERIES

NCCU and Air Force have never met on the hardwood. In fact, this will be NCCU's first-ever contest against a team from the Mountain West Conference.

THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY FALCONS

The Air Forice Academy Falcons compete in the Mountain West Conference, and were picked in the preseason by Lindy's College Basketball Magazine to finish ninth in the league, but boast three players scoring in double figures. Grant Parker, a 6-8, 228-pound forward/center, leads the way averaging 16.8 points a game while grabbing 7.0 boards per outing. On the perimeter, junior guard Evan Washington is currently second on the team in scoring with 13.5 points per game. The Falcons are coached by Jeff Reynolds, a UNC Greensboro graduate who is in his third season at the helm, in Colorado Springs, Colo. with a record of 29-36.

UP NEXT

NCCU returns to the friendly confines of McDougald-McLendon Gym to entertain the Cougars of Carver Bible College for a 7:00 p.m. tip on Saturday. This will be just the second home game of the season for LeVelle Moton's squad. NCCU won its first home game 85-70 over NC-Wesleyan on Nov. 18. T.J. Granger (Richmond, Va.) scored 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in his home debut.

LAST TIME OUT: IOWA-73, NCCU 63

IOWA CITY, IOWA (NCCUEaglePride.com)- The North Carolina Central University men's basketball team took on its second Big Ten opponent in the last two seasons, and the Eagles gave the University of Iowa all it could handle and more in dropping its fourth-straight contest in close fashion 73-63, the final from Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday afternoon. Storming out of the gates, NCCU took an 11-5 lead forcing an Iowa timeout with 12:58 to go in the first half thanks to a Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) putback. A Cully Payne jumper with 9:12 remaining helped Iowa return the favor in scoring the next 11 points and grab a five-point lead at 16-11. From that point forward both teams traded baskets as Iowa took a 30-21 lead into the lockeroom. Give credit to the NCCU defense holding Iowa to 1-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, and forcing nine turnovers through the first 20 minutes. On the other hand, the Eagle offense hit just 2-of-7 from the perimeter, and just nine field goals in the first half, shooting just 33.3 percent. The second half saw both team pick it up offensively as Iowa widened the gap to as high as 15 with 11:30 to go following a Brennan Cougill layup. Back came the Eagles who made yet another second half run to cut a 15-point deficit to seven less than four minutes later on the heels of a Michael Glasker (Newport News, Va.) lay-in putting the score at 53-46 with 7:49 left. After back-to-back buckets by the Hawkeyes, NCCU made its final rally of the game thanks to a clutch three-pointer by Michael Glasker cutting what was a double-digit deficit to six at 59-53 with 5:16 to go. That was the closest NCCU got on the afternoon, unable to make the stops down stretch, falling 73-63 to the Hawkeyes. Junior guards Vincent Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) and Glasker led the Eagles in scoring, combining for 35 points between the two of them. Davis scored 15 second-half points to finish with a season-high 18 points, while Michael Glasker topped his previous career mark of 15 against FIU, by scoring 17 points including 3-for-4 from the outside. The focus of the Iowa defense was on trying to slow down junior transfer C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) who returned to Iowa a place he called home while attending Southeastern Iowa Community College in nearby Burlington, Iowa. Wilkerson finished with just three points, but the junior added a career-best 7 assists to help the Eagles cause.

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 109 consecutive games. The Eagles hit 8-18 (44.4%) from the arc in the 73-63 loss at Iowa on Saturday afternoon. On the season NCCU is hitting 37.2 percent from three-point range hitting 35-of-94 from the perimeter after seven contests. 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.