DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University opens its MEAC title defense on the road at Delaware State on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at Alumni Hall. 

GAME NOTES
2017-18 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (6-8, 0-0 MEAC)
Vs.
Delaware State (2-13, 0-0 MEAC)
Wednesday, January 3, 2018 – 7:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall – Dover, Delaware
Audio: NCCU Sports Network
Video: DSUHornets.com
Stats: DSUHornets.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. NCCU is 343-278 all-time against the MEAC.
3. NCCU played nine games in November, the most since the 2012-13 season where the Eagles played eight.
4. Coach Moton is 86-27 all-time in regular season MEAC play.
5. NCCU is looking for its fourth MEAC title in the last five seasons.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:
Delaware State enters conference play with a 2-13 record, and finished eighth in the MEAC last year with a 7-9 league record.  Simon Okolue leads the Hornets with 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game so far this season.  DSU has lost its last nine games, and have only been home four times.
Series: NCCU leads, 20-16.
 
GOOD YEAR
During the calendar year of 2017, NCCU has won 22 games, the most since 2014 when the Eagles garnered 30 wins.  Here's a look at the last four calendar years:
             2017:................. 22-12
             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.
 
COMING UP ACES
NCCU currently leads the MEAC in six categories after a strong showing during the non-conference schedule.  The Eagles are tops in the league in scoring margin (+4.4), points allowed per game (70.6), field goal percentage (48.6), rebounding margin (+5.2), rebounds allowed per game (32.1), and assists per game (15.1).
 
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 11.6 points per game and is the second-most accurate free throw shooter, making 90.3 percent of his attempts.  Perkins has taken on his role as a point guard and is fourth in the league in assists with 4.4 per outing and leads in assist-to-turnover ratio with a positive 2.2.