DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University will close out the 2017 calendar year with a home matchup with St. Andrews on Saturday, Dec. 30 at McDougald-McLendon Arena.  This is the Eagles' final non-conference game before starting MEAC play on the road at Delaware State on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

GAME NOTES
2017-18 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (5-8, 0-0 MEAC)
Vs.
St. Andrews (1-7, 1-6 AAC)
Saturday, December 30, 2017 – 2:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, N.C.
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 KNIGHTS
St. Andrews has been on break for over two-and-a-half weeks and are looking for its first win since its season opener.  Christian Lathan paces the Knights with14.6 points and 3.3 assists per game, and Darius Huff has been strong inside with 8.0 rebounds and 8.3 points per outing.  St. Andrews lost its last game 81-71 against Bluefield College, and Jean Calvin Ahoume had a standout performance with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Series: First Meeting
 
NCCU vs AAC
The Appalachian Athletic Conference is a NAIA conference with 13 institutions.  The Eagles have only faced three, Allen, Montreat, and Truett McConnell.  NCCU is 5-0 against the conference, with two wins coming against Allen.
 
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 11.2 points per game and is the second-most accurate free throw shooter, making 89.7 percent of his attempts.  Perkins has taken on his role as a point guard and is fourth in the league in assists with 4.3 per outing and leads in assist-to-turnover ratio with a positive 2.7.

GOOD YEAR
During the calendar year of 2017, NCCU has won 21 games, the most since 2014 when the Eagles garnered 30 wins.  Here's a look at the last four calendar years:
            2017:   21-12
            2016:   17-15
            2015:   20-12
            2014:   30-7
 
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.