DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University starts a three-game Thanksgiving road trip with games at Marshall and Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and Friday, Nov. 24.  The Eagles will finish the trip at Southeast Missouri State on Sunday, Nov. 26.

GAME NOTES
2017-18 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (2-3, 0-0 MEAC)
at
Marshall (2-2, 0-0 C-USA)
Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017 – 8:00 p.m.
Cam Henderson Center – Huntington, W. Va.
Audio: NCCU Sports Network
Video: C-USA TV
Stats: HerdZone.com
 
North Carolina Central (2-3, 0-0 MEAC)
at
Illinois (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 – 7:30 p.m.
State Farm Center – Champaign, Ill.
Audio: NCCU Sports Network
Video: Big Ten Network Plus
Stats: FightingIllini.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. NCCU was 11-6 in road games during the 2016-17 season.
2. NCCU will play nine games in November, the most since the 2012-13 season where the Eagles played eight.
3. NCCU has started the season 0-3 for the first time since 2008-09.
4. NCCU's non-conference schedule puts the Eagles on the road nine times out of 14 games.
5. NCCU went 9-5 in non-conference play last year.
 
SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD:
Marshall returns home after traveling to see fellow Global Sports Invitational competitor Illinois.  The Thundering Herd were defeated 91-74, but freshman Jarrod West delivered 23 points with five three-pointers in the contest.  Jon Elmore leads Marshall in scoring with 24.8 points per game, and had a 38-point outburst against UT-Martin.
 
SERIES: Marshall leads, 2-0.
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI:
Illinois is 4-0 and is yet to leave the State Farm Center this season.  Kipper Nichols came off the bench for a double-double with 17 points and 11 boards against Marshall in a win for the Illini.  Leron Black currently leads Illinois with 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest.
 
SERIES: First meeting.
 
NEXT MAN UP
NCCU is one of less than 10 schools that returns zero starters from its previous season.  The Eagles bring back the second-fewest starts in the nation with 11, all coming from C.J. Wiggins, and the third-fewest total minutes with 862, 626 of which came from Pablo Rivas.
 
FULL PLATE
NCCU will play three-games in five days during this Thanksgiving trip, with all three being played in separate states.  Since the 2013-14 season, the Eagles are 4-5 in games played during the week of Thanksgiving.