2015-16 REGULAR SEASON
North Carolina Central (7-11, 2-2 MEAC, 5-2 Home)
vs.
Norfolk State (6-12, 2-1 MEAC, 3-6 Road)
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 – 4:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena (3,116) – Durham, North Carolina
Video / Audio: NCCUEaglePride.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
THE GAME: NCCU looks to carry momentum from its first road win of the season into a tough weekend starting with Norfolk State.  A win for the Eagles can move them in front of the Spartans in the conference standings before taking on currently undefeated Hampton on Monday in primetime.
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS:
-Norfolk State challenged for the MEAC regular season title last season and finished second behind NCCU with a 12-4 record, and a 20-14 overall mark.  The Spartans advanced to the semifinals of the MEAC Basketball Championships before falling to eventual tournament champion Hampton, and participated in the Collegiate Insider Tournament.
-The Spartans feature the 2015-16 MEAC Preseason Player of the Year Jeff Short (Bronx, N.Y.), who was also a First Team All-MEAC player after the 2014-15 season.  Short is currently fourth in the league with 16.6 points per game, shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 39.6 percent from the arc.  Jordan Butler (Hartford, Conn.) landed on the MEAC All-Rookie team last season, and right now is second in the conference in blocks per game with 2.2 swats per contest.
-Norfolk State went right to the wire with Bethune-Cookman last time out, but were beaten to the finish line by a score of 70-72 last time out.  Short had a team-high 19 points, and Alex Long (Clinton, Md.) chipped in 13 points and six boards with a pair of blocks.
 
SERIES: NSU leads, 11-27.
 
NCCU VS. NORFOLK STATE:
Norfolk State leads the all-time series against NCCU 27-11, but the Eagles have a 4-1 lead since NCCU transitioned to Division I and returned to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.  NCCU has in fact won the last four games against the Spartans, with the last three being played in Norfolk - two at Echols Hall, and one in the semifinals of the MEAC Basketball Championships at Scope Arena.  This season has been close in the past five meetings, with the average margin of victory only 9.2 points.