Florida A&M (0-21, 0-8 MEAC, 0-12 Road)
vs.
North Carolina Central (16-6, 8-0 MEAC, 8-0 Home)
Monday, February 2, 2015 - 7:30 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Gym (3,116) - Durham, N.C.
Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/nccu/portal.htm?eventId=183301&streamType=video
Audio: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/nccu/portal.htm?eventId=183301&streamType=audio
Game Notes: Complete PDF 

THE GAME:  After surrendering a 14-point second-half lead to allow ETSU to end its 10-game win streak, North Carolina Central returns home to face winless conference foe Florida A&M. Although 0-21 this season, the Rattlers are the last MEAC team to beat NCCU, as the Eagles have defeated 26 straight conference opponents since the Jan. 11, 2014 loss.

SCOUTING REPORT:  FLORIDA A&M
- The Rattlers of Florida A&M are struggling with an 0-21 overall record, including an 0-8 mark in the MEAC.
- Junior guard Jermaine Ruttley leads FAMU in both scoring (15.4 points per game) and rebounding (6.4 boards per game).

SERIES VS. FLORIDA A&M
This will be the 12th meeting between the Rattlers and the Eagles since they first met in 1940. NCCU leads the series 9-2, including a 6-2 advantage since rejoining the MEAC.
02/10/14 - NCCU 92, FAMU 49 (Durham, N.C.)
01/11/14 - FAMU 63, NCCU 60 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
02/09/13 - NCCU 51, FAMU 43 (Durham, N.C.)
01/12/13 - NCCU 85, FAMU 62 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
02/04/12 - NCCU 78, FAMU 61 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
01/07/12 - FAMU 62, NCCU 60 (Durham, N.C.)
02/26/11- NCCU 58, FAMU 55 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
01/29/11 - NCCU 61, FAMU 59 (Durham, N.C.)

NCCU'S RPI IN TOP 100
According to NCAA.com (as of Feb. 1), NCCU's RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) is 92 out of 351 teams across the nation. FAMU is 351.

EAGLES SOARING AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE
NCCU is ranked among some of the top schools in the nation (NCAA Division I) in a few statistical categories listed below, including games through Jan. 31:

CATEGORY        NCCU    NCAA
Opp. Field Goal Pct.    35.9%    4th
Opp. Three-Point FG Pct.    27.1%    6th
Opp. Points Per Game    56.3    8th
Scoring Margin    +11.9    21st
Field Goal Percentage    46.9%    39th

DEFENSE! DEFENSE!
Under the leadership of sixth-year head coach LeVelle Moton, NCCU believes its identity is rooted in playing defense. As evidence, the Eagles rank among the NCAA Division I top-10 in three key defensive categories: fourth in field goal percentage defense (35.9%), sixth in three-point percentage defense (27.1%) and eighth in scoring defense (56.3 points allowed per game).

JORDAN PARKS NAMED TO LOU HENSON AWARD WATCH LIST
NCCU senior forward Jordan Parks (Queens, N.Y.) has been named to the Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List, announced Jan. 21.  The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the Division I Mid-Major Player of the Year.

JORDAN PARKS ON THE MARK
After leading the nation in field goal shooting last season at 65.9 percent, NCCU senior forward Jordan Parks ranks fourth in the NCAA Division I at 63.4 percent, which leads the MEAC.

NIMROD THE PLAYMAKER
NCCU senior point guard Nimrod Hilliard, a transfer from Lamar University, continues to lead the MEAC and ranks 14th in the nation with an average of 6.0 assists per game.

McDONALD AN ARCH EXPERT
Ronald McDonald knows golden arches. Anthony McDonald knows three-point arches. The NCCU senior sharp-shooter tops the conference and ranks 12th in the country with 3.1 made three-pointers per game. He has a MEAC-high 69 baskets from behind the arch, which sits eighth in Division I.

NATION'S THIRD-LONGEST HOME WIN STREAK
NCCU boasts a 31-game home win streak, which ranks third in Division I behind Gonzaga and Arizona. The Eagles have not lost at home since Dec. 4, 2012 (Eastern Kentucky, 57-63). The last MEAC team beat NCCU in Durham was Savannah State on Feb. 11, 2012 (67-57).  Since then 22 consecutive conference opponents have left McDougald-McLendon Gym with a loss.

HOWEVER... NATION'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAK IN CALENDAR DAYS
Although NCCU's 31-game home win streak ranks third in the NCAA Division I in terms of the number of games, when looking at the length of the streak in calendar days, NCCU tops the nation.
Last Home Loss:
NCCU - Dec. 4, 2012
Gonzaga - Dec. 8, 2012
Arizona - Feb. 10, 2013
Wichita State - Feb. 27, 2013

NEST HAS BEEN PROTECTED
In Moton's six seasons, the Eagles have done just that - Protect the Nest, compiling a 58-13 home record during his coaching career. Here's how NCCU has fared at home since 2009:
2009-10:  7-4 (.636)
2010-11:  9-4 (.692)
2011-12:  8-3 (.727)
2012-13: 12-2 (.857)
2013-14: 14-0 (1.000)
2014-15: 8-0 (1.000)
Total:     58-13 (.817)

WE MUST PROTECT THE NEST
During the 2013-14 season, North Carolina Central University went unbeaten at home going 14-0, marking that feat for the first time since the 1997-98 campaign.
2014-15: 8-0
2013-14: 14-0
1989-90:  13-0
1997-98:  12-0
1987-88:  12-1
1992-93:  11-1
1993-94:  11-1
1995-96:  11-1
1988-89:  9-1

MOTON SITS AMONG NCCU TOP 5 IN WINS
Head coach LeVelle Moton recorded his 100th victory against S.C. State on Jan. 10, 2015, becoming the fifth coach in NCCU men's basketball history to reach the 100-win milestone. Here is a list of the coaches with the most wins in program history:
Most Victories    W    L    Pct.    Years
1. Floyd Brown    251    194    .564    1952-70
2. John McLendon    239    68    .779    1940-52
3. Gregory Jackson    164    78    .678    1991-00
4. Michael Bernard    115    56    .673    1985-91
5. LeVelle Moton    105    73    .590    2009-

NCCU VS. MEAC    
Now that NCCU is back and established in the  conference that it helped start back in 1970, the Eagles are 309-264 against MEAC opponents all-time. The Eagles have beaten 26 straight MEAC teams, and have a 42-3 record against league foes since the start of 2012-13 season.

Bethune-Cookman    6-4
Coppin State        7-3
Delaware State        19-13
Florida A&M        9-2
Hampton        46-31
Howard        40-26
Md. Eastern Shore    20-16
Morgan State        47-40
Norfolk State        11-27
North Carolina A&T    69-75
Savannah State        9-8
SC State        27-19