DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University begins the month of December at home against McNeese State in the first of two non-conference matchups with the Cowboys this season. The Eagles will head to Lake Charles, Louisiana on Dec. 13 for the return match.
GAME NOTES
2018-19 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (3-5, 0-0 MEAC)
Vs.
McNeese State (2-4, 0-0 Southland)
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 – 4:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, N.C.
Video/Audio: NCCU Sports Network
Stats: NCCUEaglePride.com
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
STARTING FIVE:
1. Head coach
LeVelle Moton has now won 174 games at NCCU, and has passed Gregory Jackson for the third-most wins all time at NCCU.
2. NCCU has now won over 1200 games in the 84th season of the program history.
3. NCCU is 25-4 at home since the 2016-17 season.
4. NCCU has shot over 50 percent from the floor four times this season.
5. NCCU went 6-8 in non-conference play in the 2017-18 season.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
McNeese is 2-4 so far, and are in the middle of a three-game road trip as the Cowboys visit McDougald-McLendon Arena. This will be the first of two meetings between the Eagles and Cowboys this season, as NCCU will head to Lake Charles, Louisiana on Dec. 13. The Cowboys fell last time out at SMU, 91-59, and James Harvey led his club with 16 points. Harvey averages 11.8 points per game along with Malik Hines, and Hines adds an extra 5.0 rebounds per contest. Roydell Brown has also proven to be a force with 10.2 points and 9.3 boards per outing.
LAST FIVE VS McNEESE:
12/17/16........................ at McNeese 74-66 W
12/14/17........................ vs. McNeese 77-71 W
THREE IN FIVE
NCCU made its third NCAA Tournament appearance within the last five years, and the Eagles are still on the hunt for their first win. NCCU's first trip was as a No. 14 seed against Iowa State, and the Eagles were defeated 93-75 during the 2014 tournament. In 2017, the Eagles also went to Dayton for the First Four and were felled by UC Davis, 67-63. During the 2018 tournament, the Eagles were bested by Texas Southern, 46-64.
LONG ROAD AHEAD
NCCU will play just four games at home at McDougald-McLendon Arena before January, the fewest since the 2014-15 season where the Eagles also hosted four bouts.
STICKY FINGERS
North Carolina Central Univeristy tied a Divsion I school record with 23 steals against Christendom on Nov. 28, matching the mark set against Johnson & Wales on Nov. 12, 2012. Reshirt freshman
Nicolas Fennell also recorded eight steals to tie for second-most in a single game in the DI era.
50-50
NCCU shot over 50 percent in back-to-back games for the first time since 2017 when the Eagles shot 62.9 percent against Warren Wilson and 51.1 percent at George Mason for a two-game percentage of 57.0 with 67 made field goals. The Eagles did it again on Nov. 24 and 28 against Southern (53.1%) and Christendom (58.3%) for a combined 55.7 percent. Here's a look at the Eagles' best two-game shooting performances in the Division I era.
60.7% vs. JWU, at MDES (Dec. 2-5, 2014, 74 FG)
59.4% vs. BSC, at MVSU (Dec. 20-22, 2014, 74 FG)
58.6% vs. VUL, at FAMU (Jan. 8-12, 2013, 71 FG)
57.5% vs. MSU, vs. BCU (Feb. 21-28, 2015, 58 FG)
57.1% at NSU, vs. HOW (March 6-12, 2014, 57 FG)
57.0% vs. WWC, at GMU (Nov. 18-20, 2018, 67 FG)
55.7% vs. SU, vs. CC (Nov. 24-28, 2018, 68 FG)
LONG DISTANCE CONNECTIONS
NCCU set new Division I era records with 17 made three-pointers and 34 assists against Warren Wilson on Nov. 18, and also tied a school record for most points in a 123-57 victory. The Eagles also had six players record double-digits.
BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS
For the first time in the Division-I era, NCCU has captured back-to-back MEAC Tournament championships, and will head to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years. This is also the first time the Eagles have won the tournament without being the No. 1 seed, winning the tournament as the No. 6 seed for the first time since Hampton in 2015. The Eagles are also the first back-to-back MEAC Tournament champion since Hampton in 2015 and 2016.
