GAME NOTES
2021-22 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (6-7, 0-0 MEAC)
At
Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational
 
Vs. UTEP (6-4, 0-0 CUSA)
Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 – 7:00 p.m. MT (9:00 p.m. ET)
Don Haskins Center – El Paso, Texas
TV: CUSA.TV
Stats: UTEPMiners.com
 
Vs. Bradley (5-6, 0-0 MVC)
Or Sam Houston State (4-7, 0-0 WAC)
Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021 – 5:00 p.m. MT (7:00 p.m. ET) or 7:00 p.m. MT (9:00 p.m. ET)
Don Haskins Center – El Paso, Texas
Stats: UTEPMiners.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. LeVelle Moton is now the third coach in program history to reach 200 wins.
2. NCCU will play 11 of its 14 non-conference games away from home, and three of those at a neutral site.
3. NCCU will face six first-time opponents during the non-conference slate.
4. NCCU has gone 21-1 at home in non-conference games since 2016.
5. NCCU has four Big South opponents on the non-conference schedule.
 
SCOUTING THE MINERS
UTEP enters the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational with a 6-4 record, and the Miners are the reigning champions of the tournament from 2019.  As the hosts, UTEP have won the invitational 32 times.  The Miners have won their last two games, including an 82-72 victory over McNeese.  Souley Boum is the leading scorer for UTEP with 21.1 points per outing, and he dropped in 23 with five points and five rebounds in the win over McNeese.  This will be the first meeting between NCCU and UTEP.
 
LAST FIVE VS UTEP:
First meeting.
 
SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Bradley, like NCCU, is making its first appearance at the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational.  The Braves are 5-6 so far this year, and have won four of their last five.  BU has faced one MEAC opponent already this year, and fell, 76-64, to Howard on Nov. 13 at home in Peoria, Illinois.  BU has three players averaging 10 points or more per game, led by Terry Roberts with 15.2 points per outing.  The Braves defeated Saint Joseph's at home, 77-73, in their final game before heading to El Paso on Dec. 18.  Ja'Shon Henry led BU with 18 points, and Rienk Mast had a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
 
LAST FIVE VS BRADLEY:
First meeting.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
Sam Houston State accepted its third invitation to the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational, and the Bearkats have one victory, in 2010.  SHSU are 4-7, and are coming off of a big 103-53 win over Hardin-Simmons on Dec. 18.  Savion Flagg paces the Bearkats with 18.9 points, and 7.9 rebounds per game.  Flagg dropped in 23 points with eight boards in the victory over Hardin-Simmons.
 
LAST FIVE VS SAM HOUSTON STATE:
First meeting.
 
EAGLES ON TOUR
NCCU went on its second four-game road trip of the season from Nov. 29-Dec. 6 when it visited Gardner-Webb, USC Upstate, UNC Asheville and The Citadel.  This is the second time in the last three seasons where the Eagles have had multiple four-game road trips.  The last time it happened was during the 2019-20 season: Nov. 26-Dec. 7 and Jan. 11-20.
 
LEAVING A LEGACY
NCCU stole the spotlight in the opening game of the inaugural Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic on Dec. 18, and came away with a big 86-53 win over Delaware State.  The 33-point margin of victory is the sixth-largest against a MEAC opponent in the regular season, and the Eagles drilled an impressive 13 treys.
 
IT'S MILLER TIME!
Randy Miller Jr. scorched the net at the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic as he knocked down a season-high six treys, and matched his season-best with 23 points.  Miller finished the first 20 minutes with 20 points, five treys, made his first four attempts from the perimeter.
 
BUSINESS IS BOONE-ING
Eric Boone showed off his court vision at the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, and dished out a season-best 13 assists.  13 assists is currently the sixth-most in a single game in NCAA Division I this season, and tied for the fourth-most all-time at NCCU.