DURHAM, N.C. - For the second year in-a-row, the North Carolina Central University men's basketball program starts the year as the reigning MEAC Tournament champion, and the Eagles will begin the 2018-19 season on the road at Clemson on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum.  NCCU will play two more games away from home before returning to McDougald-McLendon Arena to start the home slate against Warren Wilson on Nov. 18.

GAME NOTES
2018-19 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (0-0, 0-0 MEAC)
At
Clemson (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.
Littlejohn Coliseum – Clemson, S.C.
Audio: NCCU Sports Network
Video: ACC Network Extra
Stats: ClemsonTigers.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. Head coach LeVelle Moton has now won 171 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 looking for its first season-opening win since Nov. 12, 2010 against Johnson & Wales.
4. NCCU will start the year with a three-game road trip for the second consecutive year.
5. NCCU went 6-8 in non-conference play in the 2017-18 season.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Clemson is coming off of its 34th consecutive season-opening victory after defeating the Citadel, 100-80 on Nov. 6.  Redshirt senior guard Marcquise Reed led the way with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds.  The Tigers went 24-10 overall and 11-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play in the 2017-18 season, and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament as a #5 seed before falling to #1-seeded Kansas, 80-76.  Reed was named Second Team All-ACC after leading the Tigers with 15.8 points per game, and also pulled down 4.7 rebounds per contest. 
 
LAST FIVE VS CLEMSON:
11/13/15........................ at Clemson 40-74 L
 
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.
 
EAGLES VS. ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
NCCU has played seven of the league's 16 teams since making the move to Division I, compiling a 1-17 record.  The Eagles lone victory came on Nov. 22, 2013 against NC State when the maroon and gray pulled off the major upset 82-72 in overtime in PNC Arena. Here is a breakdown of NCCU's games against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.
 
11/09/07........................ at Duke 56-121 L
11/19/07........................ at Wake Forest 58-75 L
1/09/08.......................... at NC State 29-54 L
11/14/08........................ at Wake Forest 48-94 L
1/03/09.......................... at Miami 42-76 L
2/03/09.......................... at NC State 59-87 L
11/11/09........................ at #4/6 North Carolina     42-89 L
11/14/09........................ at Miami 53-83 L
1/18/10.......................... at Virginia Tech 30-72 L
1/30/10.......................... at NC State 42-77 L
11/19/10........................ at Miami 65-88 L
11/20/11........................ at Wake Forest 79-93 L
12/11/11........................ at NC State 60-65 L
11/20/13........................ at NC State 82-72 OT W
12/31/13........................ at Maryland 56-70 L
11/14/14........................ at #6/6 UNC 76-60 L
3/17/15.......................... at Miami% 75-71 L
11/13/15........................ at Clemson 40-74 L
-%- 2015 NIT
 
NCCU VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Eagles have battled their fair share of teams ranked in the Top-25 in the infant stages of the move to the NCAA Division I level, resulting in an 0-9 mark.
11/9/07 ......................... at #13 Duke 121-56 L*
11/14/08 ....................... at #21 Wake Forest          94-48 L
12/29/08........................ at #23/24 Michigan          77-57 L
11/11/09........................ at #4/6 North Carolina     89-47 L
2/22/12.......................... at #23 Indiana 75-56 L
12/22/13........................ at #9/11 Wichita State     77-66 L
03/21/14........................ vs. #8 Iowa State............. 93-75 L!
11/14/14........................ at #6/6 North Carolina     76-60 L
12/10/14........................ at #19 Maryland 56-67 L
*- First NCAA Division I Game
!- NCAA Tournament (East Region)
 
TOUGH STARTS
Since beginning the transition to Div. I in the 2007-08 season, NCCU is 1-10 in season openers.  The lone win came at home against Johnson & Wales in 2010, while all 10 losses have come on the road.
11/9/07.......................... at #13 Duke 56-121 L
11/14/08........................ at #21 Wake Forest          48-94 L
11/11/09........................ at #4/6 North Carolina     42-89 L
11/12/10........................ vs. Johnson & Wales        90-30 W
11/11/11........................ at Charlotte 57-73 L
11/10/12........................ at Wichita State 57-71 L
11/8/13.......................... at Cincinnati@ 61-74 L
11/14/14........................ at #6/6 North Carolina     60-76 L
11/13/15........................ at Clemson 40-74 L
11/12/16........................ at Marshall 69-81 L
11/10/17........................ at Illinois-Chicago             55-65 L
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