NCCU Sports Network Broadcast Link (GameCentral)
NCCU vs. NC A&T Game Notes (PDF)
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University returns to the homestead for the final three home games of the 2012-13 season as the Eagles look to stay in the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) regular season championship hunt, sitting a game behind first place Norfolk State. The maroon and gray take on arch nemisis North Carolina A&T looking for the second consecutive season sweep against the Aggies.
THE SERIES
NCCU and NC A&T are meeting for the 141st time in program history this weekend with the Eagles trailing in the series 74-66. Since the two teams have reacquainted themselves, the maroon and gray are 4-1 against their arch-rivals over the last three years. This series dates all the way back to 1930. NCCU is 279-262 against the MEAC.
THE NCCU SPORTS NETWORK
The Champps Pregame Show will hit the air beginning at 1:45 p.m. for wall-to-wall coverage of Saturday's MEAC doubleheader, but the men's contest will be broadcast nationwide as HSRN (Heritage Sports Radio Network) will simulcast the men's contest on SiriusXM Satellite radio and on 10 radio stations listed below. Fans can also watch the live video stream of each game for $8.95 per contest. Follow @NCCUAthletics, use the hashtag #NCCUMBB, and send an e-mail to whooks@nccu.edu to interact with the broadcast crew as play-by-play voice Chris Hooks and color analyst Joe Simmons will call the action live from McDougald-McLendon Gym. Here is a list of affiliates for Saturday’s meeting between NCCU and NC A&T:
WNCU 90.7 FM- Durham, N.C. (Flagship)
Sirius Ch. 128
XM Ch. 198
WAGF 1320 AM- Dothan, Ala.
WEUP 1700 AM- Huntsville, Ala.
WMGJ 1240 AM- Gadsden, Ala.
WGRM 93.9 FM- Greenwood, Miss.
WBLA 1440 AM- Elizabethtown, N.C.
WSJS 600 AM- Winston-Salem, N.C.
WOLI 910 Spartanburg, S.C.
WVOL 1470- Nashville, Tenn.
KIVC 1700 AM- Vancouver, Wash.
KIIC 96.7 FM- Vancouver, Wash.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY "AGGIES"
The Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University enter this weekend’s affair on the heels of a two-game losing skid after a shocking 72-70 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University on Saturday, Feb. 16, then dropped a 56-49 decision to MEAC defending regular champion Tigers of Savannah State University on Monday night Feb. 18. The Aggies are led by first year head coach Cy Alexander who is no stranger to the MEAC after his days at South Carolina State where led the Bulldogs to five tournament championships in seven appearances. Alexander was also successful at Tennessee State where he led the Tigers to the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game. In his first season at A&T he’s put together at 16-16 record overall, 6-6 in the MEAC. Throughout his 23-year career he’s compiled a 363-324 record. The Aggies as a team are sixth in the league in scoring offense averaging 63.1 points a game, while allowing 63.5 points a game, good enough for fourth in the conference. A&T is third in the league in field goal percentage defense allowing teams to shoot 39.4 percent from the field. Individually, A&T is led by junior transfer Lamont Middleton who is No. 10 in the MEAC in scoring averaging 12.9 points a game. Middleton was held in check on Dec. 1 going 2-for-7 from the field scoring only four points, while grabbing a rebound. Senior forward Adrian Powell is right behind him at 14th in the league averaging 12.4 points a game. Powell is sixth in the conference from-the-outside shooting 35.9 percent (46-for-128). Eagle fans can remember Powell who nearly carried the Aggies to the win in first meeting scoring 29 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the outside. Senior forward Austin Witter is fourth in the MEAC in rebounding ripping down 7.3 boards a game. Witter is the MEAC’s top shot blocker as he has racked up 80 swats on the year averaging 3.0 per game. He also tops the conference in defensive rebounds averaging 6.0 per game, amassing 163 in 27 games this year. Jeremy Underwood is fifth in the MEAC In free throw percentage hitting 80.9 percent of his shots from the foul line (55-68).
UP NEXT
Following Saturday’s ballgame, the maroon and gray will host Savannah State University to begin the month of March looking for revenge against the defending regular season champions after dropping the first meeting 44-36 on Feb. 16 inside Tiger Arena in Savannah, Ga. After that ballgame, NCCU will host South Carolina State on Senior night for the Eagles on Monday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m.
