THE GAME
North Carolina Central University returns to MEAC play for the final three games of the regular season beginning with "Senior Day" as the maroon and gray salute six seniors who represent 76 wins over the last four years. With a win, NCCU can clinch at least a share of the MEAC regular season championship.
THE SERIES
The first meeting took place between NCCU and SC State back on Jan. 16, 1941. Since moving to the NCAA Division I level, the Eagles are 7-0 against the Bulldogs. NCCU leads the series 25-19.
2/15/14- at SC State- 67-53 W
3/4/13- vs. SC State- 62-54 W
2/18/13- at SC State- 71-52 W
2/27/12- vs. SC State- 71-57 W
2/13/12- vs. SC State- 71-56 W
3/3/11- vs. SC State- 78-61 W
12/4/10- at SC State (OT)- 74-71 W
NCCU SPORTS NETWORK
The NCCU Sports Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of Saturday's MEAC twinbill between NCCU and SCSU, beginning with coverage at 1:45 p.m. with the Denny's of Durham Pregame Show. Jonathan Duren will call the action in the women's contest while play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network Chris Hooks and Joe Simmons will have the call for the men's contest. Fans can watch the live stream of each game for $8.95, while the audio broadcast is free of charge. Interact with the broadcast by following @NCCUAthletics on twitter, using the hashtag #NCCUMBB, and by sending an e-mail to either whooks@nccu.edu or nccusn@nccu.edu.
SCOUTING REPORT: SC STATE
-Entering the final weekend of the 2013-14 regular season, the Bulldogs of SC State are currently 9-17 overall, 5-8 in conference play. If the MEAC Tournament started today, SCSU would be the eighth seed playing the red hot Hornets of Delaware State in opening round action. SC State has not played since its Feb. 22 loss at home to Savannah State (75-65). In that contest 6-11 senior Matthew Hezekiah (15 points 10 rebounds) and 6-7 sophomore Darryll Palmer (10 points 11 rebounds)recorded double-doubles. The Bulldogs shot just 38.3 percent (23-for-60) from-the-field, including 5-for-20 (25.0 percent) from three-point range. On the other hand, Savannah State had four Tigers in double figures led by Deven Williams' 16 points as Kierre Richards (11 points), Khiry White (10 points), and Alante Fenner (10 points) all contributed greatly in the victory for SSU.
-SC State is led by head coach Murray Garvin who took over for the departed Tim Carter on Feb. 6, 2013. Garvin is 11-24 in Orangeburg, but the Bulldogs are on their way up the MEAC ladder under his tutelage. Garvin has compiled a 69-36 overall coaching record as he spent time as the head man at Clinton Junior College from 2001-05, while also spending time at Winston-Salem State (2008-10) and Charleston Southern University (2004-08).
-SC State is led in scoring by Hezekiah who averages 13.3 points a game, while his teammate, Palmer, is sixth in the MEAC in rebounding and blocked shots pulling down 6.9 boards a game and averaging 1.5 swats per contest. The sophomore forwars is also tied for fourth in defensive rebounds with Delaware State's Kendall Gray grabbing 4.8 defensive boards a game. Hezekiah is fourth in the MEAC in field goal percentage shooting 56.0 percent from the field, while point guard Louis Adams is sixth in the league averaging 3.0 assists per game.
-As a team, SC State is eighth in the league in scoring offense (64.7 points per game), eighth in scoring defense (73.2 points per game), 11th in free throw percentage (65.3 percent), fourth in rebounding offense (37.0 boards per game), and third in the league in assists (12.8 per game).
NCCU VS. MEAC
Throughout NCCU's illustrious basketball history, the Eagles have taken on every team in the conference that it helped start back in 1970. NCCU is 296-264 against MEAC opponents all-time.
Bethune-Cookman- 6-4
Coppin State- 6-3
Delaware State- 18-13
Florida A&M- 9-2
Hampton- 45-31
Howard- 38-26
Md. Eastern Shore- 19-16
Morgan State- 46-40
Norfolk State- 8-27
North Carolina A&T- 69-75
Savannah State- 7-8
SC State- 25-19
