GAME NOTES
2021-22 Regular Season
North Carolina Central (8-10, 2-1 MEAC)
Vs.
Norfolk State (15-4, 6-0 MEAC)
Monday, Jan. 31, 2022 – 9:00 p.m.
McDougald-McLendon Arena – Durham, N.C.
TV: ESPNU
Radio: NCCU Sports Network
Stats: NCCUEaglePride.com
 
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
 
STARTING FIVE:
1. LeVelle Moton is now the third coach in program history to reach 200 wins.
2. NCCU is 113-42 all-time in regular-season MEAC games.
3. NCCU ranks third or higher in the MEAC in 10 different team statistics.
4. NCCU is 23-8 in the month of January since the 2016-17 season.
5. NCCU is 62-15 at home in MEAC games in the Division I era.
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Norfolk State is off to a historic start with a 15-4 record, and lead the MEAC with an unbeaten 6-0 ledger.  The Spartans are averaging 80.3 points per game against league opponents, and most recently came away with an 87-69 victory on the road at SC State, after scoring 57 points in the second half.  NSU is one of the top defensive teams in the nation, as it ranks fifth in defensive field goal percentage at 37.2.  Joe Bryant leads the MEAC in scoring with 16.5 points per game, and ranks fourth in NCAA DI with a 93.0 free throw percentage.  Bryant paced the Spartans with 22 points in the win at SCSU, and Kris Bankston pulled down eight boards with 15 points.  This is the first of two meetings between NCCU and NSU, and the two sides will meet again on Feb. 28 at Echols Hall in Norfolk, Virginia.
 
LAST FIVE VS NORFOLK STATE:
3/11/21 at MEAC........... 58-87 L
2/3/20  at NCCU............. 69-63 W
3/16/19 at MEAC........... 50-47 W
2/16/19 at NSU.............. 70-75 L-OT
1/8/18  at NCCU............. 64-63 W

BACK TO THE GRIND
NCCU endured its second-longest gap between games in the Division I era during a 31-day wait from Dec. 22 at the Sun Bowl Invitational, to Jan. 22 at Delaware State.  The Eagles faced a 48-day lapse during the 2020-21 campaign from Dec. 12 - Jan. 29.
 
NCCU AROUND THE LEAGUE
NCCU is 113-42 in MEAC games in the Division I era since rejoining the league for the 2011- 12 season.  Below is a breakout of the Eagles' success at home and on the road in regular season conference contests.
Home: 62-15
Away: 50-27
Neutral: 1-0
 
50-50
NCCU started MEAC play by knocking down over half of its shots in consecutive games against league opponents for the first time since the 2014-15 season.  The Eagles shot 51.2 percent (21-41) at Delaware State, and then 50.0 percent (25-50) for a combined 50.5 percent on Jan. 22-24.  The Eagles once again shot over 50 percent in consecutive games during its home-opening two-game set against Warren Wilson and Apprentice on Nov. 23 and 27.  NCCU made a total of 81 field goals, and shot 55.1 percent in those two games.  NCCU knocked down over 50 percent of its shots in back-to-back games in the 2020-21 season by registering a 54.2 percent rate against Carver on Jan. 29, and a 60.8 clip against SC State on Feb. 1.  The SCSU performance was the best shooting display by the Eagles against a conference opponent since making 61.9 percent of shots against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 8, 2014. 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)
57.6% at LATU, vs. MACU (Dec.17-30, 2019, 68 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)
56.9% at CSU, vs. CC (Dec. 7-11, 2019, 74 FG)
56.9% vs. Carver, vs. SCSU (Jan. 29-Feb.1, 2021, 70 FG)
55.7% vs. SU, vs. CC (Nov. 24-28, 2018, 68 FG)
55.1% vs. WWC, vs. AS (Nov. 23-27, 2021, 81 FG)