"I hope we proved to America that we’re not an HBCU, we’re a Division I basketball team.”
MIAMI, Florida — In its physical form, Tobacco Road is a 100-mile stretch that spans the distance between North Carolina, Duke, N.C. State and Wake Forest.
It’s a familiar landmark for the college basketball community, representing some of the biggest blue bloods of the sport and the incredible level of competition between the programs.
But after another year of North Carolina Central’s unprecedented success under coach LeVelle Moton, there’s another program fighting to erect a permanent mile-marker of its own along the historic trail.
If the program’s first perfect conference record wasn’t enough to earn respect and attention, surely Tuesday night’s performance in a 75-71 loss Miami in the first round of the NIT should certainly start some conversation about the Eagles.
“The truth of the matter is, no one expected them to do what they do or did what they did,” Moton said. “No one expected that team to go 16-0. You’re looking at a team that’s playing without their best post player, without their back up point guard, out with a broken foot.
“We just had to find a way. It’s tough for them to receive the proper respect. There was so much being said about Central not being deserving of an NCAA bid and there were flukes. It’s unfortunate that we can spend five or six months working to establish a body of work and no one cares except for one day in the tournament. Where else do they do that? "
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