Jan. 19, 2010

North Carolina Central University "Eagles"

(4-16 overall, 0-14 road)

vs.

Savannah State University "Tigers"

(6-12 overall, 4-2 home)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010- 7:00 p.m. (EST)

Tiger Arena - Savannah, Ga.

Radio Coverage: NCCU Sports Network

WRJD 1410 AM and NCCUEaglePride.com

THE GAME

Following its Monday night loss against the Hokies of Virginia Tech, NCCU made the 424 mile trek to Savannah, Ga. to take on the Tigers of Savannah State University. During the 2009-10 season, the Eagles have now visited eight states (Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Texas, Virginia, and now Georgia). NCCU is 0-14 away from Durham this season.

THE SERIES

This is the eighth meeting between NCCU and Savannah State since the teams first met on Dec. 11, 1954. NCCU leads the series 4-3. The teams met twice last season with SSU defeating the Eagles on both occasions 67-51 on Jan. 31, 2009 in Durham, N.C. and finishing off the sweep with a 69-64 win on March 2, 2009 inside Tiger Arena. The last time NCCU won in Savannah was on Jan. 19, 1998 when the Eagles won 85-73.

SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY TIGERS

The Savannah State University Tigers enter Wednesday night's showdown with a 6-12 record on the season, including a 4-2 mark inside Tiger Arena. The Tigers are coming off a 73-63 win over Central Connecticut State University on Jan. 11, a win that ended a four-game losing streak. The Tigers have beaten CCSU twice this season along with wins against NCCU's Feb. 2 opponent Western Illinois (52-48). SSU has two student-athletes who register double figures at this point in the season led by senior guard, Tracy Rankins, who tops the squad averaging 12.1 points per contest and 2.9 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Rashad Hassan is the only other double digit scorer averaging 10.1 points per game and grabbing 4.9 boards. Arnold Louis leads the team in rebounding ripping down 7.4 boards per contest. The Tigers are led by former Georgetown great, Horace Broadnax, who is in his ninth season of collegiate coaching and his fifth in Savannah compiling a 48-90 record at the university.

UP NEXT

The Eagles will have a week to rest and recover until its next contest which will take place in the ninth and final state that NCCU will visit this season, as LeVelle Moton and company head up to Youngstown, Ohio to take on the Penguins of Youngstown State University. This will be the first meeting between these two which will also be NCCU's first matchup against a team that competes in the Horizon League.