DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University continues its four-game road swing with a return trip to McNeese for the second matchup with the Cowboys this season.  NCCU and McNeese just met recently on Dec. 1 in Durham, when the Eagles stormed back from an 11-point deficit, and finished the game on a 10-2 run to defeat the Cowboys 67-66.

GAME NOTES
2018-19 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (4-6, 0-0 MEAC)
at
McNeese State (2-6, 0-0 Southland)
Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 – 6:30 p.m. CT
H&HP Complex – Lake Charles, La.
Video: Cowboy Insider
Audio: Cajun Radio 1470/1290
Stats: McNeeseSports.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. Head coach LeVelle Moton has now won 175 games at NCCU, and has passed Gregory Jackson for the third-most wins all time at NCCU.
2. Moton coached his 300th game on Dec. 8, and has coached the third-most games all-time at NCCU.
3. NCCU is 26-4 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 has played just once since the matchup with the Eagles in Durham on Dec. 1, falling 90-77 at Mississippi State on Dec. 4.  Malik Hines once again powered the Cowboys with 24 points in the contest with six rebounds, and Jarren Greenwood collected 14 points.  McNeese kept up its hot-shooting ways in that contest by shooting 53.8% from the arc (7-for-13, and 3-3 in the first half) and 58.0% from the floor (29-50).
 
LAST FIVE VS MCNEESE:
12/17/16........................ at McNeese 74-66 W
12/14/17........................ vs. McNeese 77-71 W
12/1/18.......................... vs. McNeese 67-66 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 University tied a Division I school record with 23 steals against Christendom on Nov. 28, matching the mark set against Johnson & Wales on Nov. 12, 2012.  Redshirt 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.
 
LEAVING A MARK
Head coach LeVelle Moton is in his 10th year at the helm of the Eagle men's basketball program and reached the 300-game plateau in his career on Dec. 8, 2018 at App State.  He's third all-time on the list, and just the third coach to reach 300 games.  Here's a look at coaches with the most games coached at NCCU.
 
Most Games............................................ G                      Years
1. Floyd Brown..................................... 445                  1952-70
2. John McLendon............................... 307                  1940-52
3. LeVelle Moton................................ 300                      2009-
4. Gregory Jackson............................... 242                  1991-00
5. Michael Bernard.............................. 171                  1985-91