NCCU vs. Wichita State 1213
NCCU and Wichita State meet for the first time Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. to begin the 2012-13 season

Men's Basketball Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator

NCCU MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES AT WICHITA STATE (NOV. 10, 2012)

The Eagles tip off the 2012-13 campaign against the defending Missouri Valley Champions



NCCU at Wichita State Game Notes

THE GAME
After finishing the 2011-12 season with a 17-15 record, North Carolina Central University embarks on the fourth year of the LeVelle Moton era, and the Eagles begin the campaign with four of its first five games away from the friendly-confines of McDougald-McLendon Gym. The 2012-13 season-opening showdown pits the defending Missouri Valley Champion Wichita State against NCCU to tip-off the 2012-13 campaign.

THE SERIES
NCCU and Wichita State have never met on the hardwood. In fact, this will be just the third Missouri Valley Conference opponent that the Eagles have faced since making the transition to the NCAA’s Division I level back in 2007. NCCU is currently 0-3 against teams from the MVC, and 0-1 all-time in the state of Kansas since moving up from Division II.

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY "SHOCKERS"
The Wichita State University Shockers are coming of a 2011-12 campaign where they finished 27-6 overall, 16-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, earning the regular season title and earned the No. 5 seed in the south region of the NCAA Tournament after falling in the MVC Tournament Championship game, bowing out to the 12th-seeded Rams of Virginia Commonwealth in the first round 62-59 in the Portland, Oregon regional. The Shockers ran off three impressive winning streaks of eight (twice) and nine games last year. WSU ended the year 15-1 in their home building and was an even more eye-opening 10-1 on the road. Over the last two seasons, the Shockers have racked up a 56-14 record that includes a NIT (National Invitational Tournament) Postseason Championship. Wichita State is led two returners who should excel for the Shockers in the 2012-13 campaign as senior forward Carl Hall and senior guard Demetric Williams look to stand out in their final season. Hall started 19-of-33 games last year, averaging 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds, while Williams started 23-of-33 games and contributing 5.5 points and 2.1 assists. Senior seven-foot center Ehimen Orukpe and sophomore Jake White and Tekele Cotton also return after significant time off the bench in 2012-13. Gregg Marshall is in his sixth season at the helm where he has lead the program through some of its greatest successes. In 16 years of coaching at the college level, Marshall has compiled a record of 303-145. Prior to his time in Wichita, Marshall was the head coach at nearby Winthrop University where he led the Eagles to six consecutive 20-wins seasons and led WU to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in nine years. The Shockers were picked to finish fourth the Missouri Valley Conference in the preseason.

UP NEXT
NCCU returns for a short trip back to the Bull City for its home opener on Monday night, Nov. 12 against Johnson and Wales University at 7:00 p.m. from McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium before heading out to Laramie, Wyo. for the 2012 Global Sports Hoops Showcase hosted by the University of Wyoming from Nov. 14-16. NCCU will battle the host Cowboys on Wed., Nov. 14 at 9:00 p.m. followed up by a 6:30 p.m. matchup on Nov. 15 against Southern University, and will look to end the tournament on a high note on Nov. 16 against South Dakota. All three games will take place at the Arena Auditiorium in Laramie, Wyo. NCCU finished 2-1 in last years Global Sports Hoops Showcase in Eugene, Ore.
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