DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University begins its closing stretch of non-conference play with a home match with McNeese State on Thursday, Dec. 14.  This is the Eagles' last game before the holiday break.

GAME NOTES
2016-17 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (4-8, 0-0 MEAC)
Vs.
McNeese State (2-5, 0-0 Southland)
Thursday, December 14, 2017 – 7:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, North Carolina
Audio / Video: NCCU Sports Network
Stats: NCCUEaglePride.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. NCCU will play its final two non-conference games at home before opening league play at Delaware State on Jan. 3.
3. NCCU played nine games in November, the most since the 2012-13 season where the Eagles played eight.
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 COWBOYS
McNeese is in the middle of a four-game road trip, and has lost its last two contests.  Kalob Ledoux leads the squad in scoring with 12.1 points per game, and Quatarrius Wilson has been a presence inside with 8.0 boards and 9.1 points per contest.  Last time out, the Cowboys were defeated 85-47 by North Texas, and Stephen Ugochukwu led the team with 16 points and nine rebounds.
 
Series: NCCU leads, 1-0.
 
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.
 
CRASHING THE BOARDS
NCCU pulled down the most rebounds in the Division-I era against Warren Wilson when the Eagles swept up 66 rebounds.  The Eagles topped the mark of 57 set against Barber-Scotia on Dec. 17, 2014.  This season, the Eagles also pulled down 58 boards against Christendom on Dec. 30.
 
ROOKIE RANKING
Freshmen Reggie Gardner, Jr. and Jordan Perkins have found their way into the starting lineup, and are the first freshmen to start for the Eagles since C.J. Wiggins during the 2015-16 season.  Gardner and Perkins are both statistically ranked within the MEAC, as well.  Gardner is top-20 in scoring with an average of 11.5 points per game and is the second-most accurate free throw shooter, making 88.9 percent of his attempts.  Perkins has taken on his role as a point guard and is fourth in the league in assists with 4.0 per outing and is second in assist-to-turnover ratio with a positive 2.4.