GAME NOTES: NCCU Men's Basketball Visits Norfolk State in Battle of MEAC Unbeaten Teams

North Carolina Central (12-5, 4-0 MEAC, 3-5 Road)
vs.
Norfolk State (11-8, 4-0 MEAC, 6-1 Home)
Saturday, January 17, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.

Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall (4,500) - Norfolk, Va.
Audio: NCCUEaglePride.com
Video: NSUSpartans.com
Live Stats: NSUSpartans.com

THE GAME: 
North Carolina Central University and Norfolk State University clash as two of the three unbeaten teams in MEAC play, and the only conference programs with double-digit wins this season.  NSU junior guard Jeff Short leads the league in scoring with 19.6 points per game, while NCCU's Nimrod Hilliard (5.6 apg) and NSU's Jamel Fuentes (4.7 apg) are the top two playmakers in the MEAC.

SCOUTING REPORT:  NORFOLK STATE
- The Spartans of Norfolk State are the only other team in the MEAC (along with NCCU) to boast double-digit victories this season with an overall record of 11-8.  
- Norfolk State is tied atop the conference standings with NCCU and Hampton, all sitting at 4-0 in league play.
- NSU junior guard Jeff Short is the No. 1 scorer in the MEAC with an average of 19.6 points per game, and tops the conference in three-point shooting accuracy (43.4 percent).
- As a team, Norfolk State leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (35.8 percent) and rebounding margin (+5.4).

SERIES VS. NORFOLK STATE
Norfolk State leads the series against the Eagles, 27-10. NCCU, however, has won the last three meetings, including a 68-45 win in the semifinals of the 2014 MEAC Tournament. The Eagles escaped Echols Hall with a 76-70 victory in the last game of the regular season on March 6, 2014.

NCCU'S RPI IN TOP 100
According to NCAA.com (as of Jan. 14), NCCU's RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) is 101 out of 351 teams across the nation. Norfolk State is 158.

EAGLES SOARING AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE
NCCU is ranked among some of the top schools in the nation in a few statistical categories listed below, including games through Jan. 13:

CATEGORY        NCCU    NCAA
Opp. Field Goal Pct.    35.3%    6th
Opp. Points Per Game    55.2    10th
Opp. Three-Point FG Pct.    27.5%    11th
Scoring Margin    +14.7    19th
Steals Per Game    8.5    27th
Field Goal Percentage    47.8%    32nd
Blocked Shots Per Game    5.2    32nd

JORDAN PARKS ON THE MARK
After leading the nation in field goal shooting last season at 65.9 percent, NCCU senior forward Jordan Parksranks seventh in the NCAA Division I at 64.2 percent, which leads the MEAC.

NIMROD THE PLAYMAKER
NCCU senior point guard Nimrod Hilliard has scored 70 points in NCCU's last four games combined (17.5 avg.), but the Lamar University transfer continues to lead the MEAC and rank 29th in the nation with an average of 5.6 assists per game.

McDONALD AN ARCH EXPERT
Ronald McDonald knows golden arches. Anthony McDonald knows three-point arches. The NCCU senior sharp-shooter tops the conference and ranks 13th in the country with 3.2 made three-pointers per game. He has a MEAC-high 54 baskets from behind the arch.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION