NCCU's 'Big Three' Lead Eagles To 82-72 Win Over Norfolk State Spartans

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – After being recognized prior to Saturday’s game for breaking the school’s single-season record for three-point field goals, North Carolina Central University junior Landon Clement added to his tally by nailing five triples for a season-high 28 points to lead the Eagles to an 82-72 victory over Norfolk State University inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Clement had some help with 20 points from senior guard C.J. Wilkerson and the fourth double-double of the season by junior forward Nick Chasten with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Clement, Wilkerson and Chasten, who Clement referred to as the ‘Big Three,’ accounted for more than 81 percent of NCCU’s offense.



NCCU defeats Norfolk State University, 62-56

DURHAM, N.C. – On Saturday, Feb. 19, three was the magic number for North Carolina Central University to earn a 62-56 victory in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium. Senior Jori Nwachukwu, sophomore J’Mia Pollock and freshman Sierra Solomon each netted in double-figures and provided season-high performances to lead the Lady Eagles past Norfolk State University.

Seizing her 11th double-double this season with a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds was Nwachukwu. Pollock, who has had a breakout season as a sophomore, reached a season-high in points (15), rebounds (14) and assists (6). Solomon, who is developing and becoming more confident each contest, poured in 11 points.



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NCCU'S Second-Half Rally Falls Short Against Bethune Cookman

DURHAM, N.C. - Down by two points with 19 seconds left in the contest, North Carolina Central University got the ball in the hands of senior guard C.J. Wilkerson, the Eagles’ clutch performer who has averaged 32 points in his last three outings. Driving towards the basket in front of the NCCU bench, the physical defensive pressure by Bethune-Cookman University forced Wilkerson to lose his handle on the ball and the visiting Wildcats collected the turnover to secure a 67-64 victory inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Monday night.

Wilkerson finished with 21 points, 18 of which he tallied after intermission. NCCU junior sharpshooter Landon Clement connected on five of his 10 three-point attempts to finish with a team-best 23 points, but no other Eagle reached double figures in the scoring column. Junior Nick Chasten was the closest with eight points and six rebounds.


Videographer: NCCUEagles

LADY WILDCAT STEALS LEAD TO 64-53 VICTORY OVER NCCU BASKETBALL

DURHAM, N.C. – In recent matchups, the three-point arc has not been the most favorable shooting point for North Carolina Central University. But in Monday night’s contest against Bethune-Cookman University in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium, senior Shanise Blanks thrived from the long range.

Despite Blanks’ leading the Lady Eagles with season-high17 points, 15 from behind three-point arc, and a ninth double-double performance from Jori Nwachukwu, the Lady Wildcats were able to secure an 11-point win over NCCU, 64-53.

The Lady Eagles began the contest with a six-point lead, Blanks came off the bench sinking her first long range basket at the 15:24 mark. Within a matter of minutes, B-CU took its first lead of the game.


Videographer: NCCUEagles

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NCCU Eagles notch win No. 10 at expense of FAMU

DURHAM -- N.C. Central has figured out how to win close games, but the Eagles have had to build huge leads in two of their three most recent victories to do it. On Saturday, NCCU built a 15-point halftime lead before holding on for a 61-59 win over Florida A&M at McDougald-McLendon Gym that wasn't secured until the Rattlers missed a shot at the buzzer.

The victory gives the Eagles their first 10-win season since moving up to the Division I level. C.J. Wilkerson finished with 18 points, including a pair of free throws that gave the Eagles a five-point lead with under a minute to play.


Videographer: NCCUEagles; Hear Postgame comments from junior forward Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) and Head Coach LeVelle Moton following NCCU's 61-59 victory over conference foe Florida A&M. NCCU has won three-in-a-row and will take on league leading Bethune-Cookman on Monday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. from McDougald-McLendon Gym.

LAST-SECOND SHOT LIFTS FLORIDA A&M PAST NCCU LADY EAGLES, 63-62

DURHAM, N.C. - After fighting back from a nine-point second-half deficit, the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University led by one point at the 49 second mark until Florida A&M scoring leader Antonia Bennett hit a last-second layup to seal a Lady Rattlers 63-62 victory on Saturday, Jan. 29 in McDougald-McLendon Gym.

NCCU began the second half with a score of 26-32, Bennett, who finished with 31 points, quickly paced FAMU to a nine-point deficit. Senior Jori Nwachukwu, who netted 16 points in the last 20 minutes of play, quickly led NCCU on an 8-1 run for the first tie of the half.

From the 14:30 mark until to the 8:17 point, FAMU would regain the lead, pulling away by as many as six points. With sophomore J’Mia Pollock on the line sinking one of her two free throws, the contest became a point-for-point battle.


Videographer: NCCUEagles; Hear Comments from NCCU Head Coach Joli Robinson as the Lady Eagles fell 63-62 to Florida A&M in heartbreaking fashion.

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Shoes for Haiti: North Carolina Central basketball coach spurs collection drive

LeVelle Moton, the N.C. Central men's basketball coach, has been haunted by Haiti for much of his life. Moton knows his father, Frankie, was from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, but that is about all he knows about his dad. "I wasn't close to him," Moton said. "He was never there for me. To tell you the truth, I've never spoken to him. Your guess is as good as mine if he is deceased."

But Moton hasn't turned his back on his father's homeland. The earthquakes in Haiti one year ago today refocused Moton on his link to the country and his feelings about his absent father.



"As you get older, a certain amount of resentment builds when your father hasn't been a part of your life," Moton said. "I want to give back to the community anyway. Because of my background I know how important that is, and when I heard about the shoes for Haiti, I knew I wanted to be a part. Getting involved with this has helped me let go of the resentment."

Moton was referring to his role as spokesman for Share Our Shoes (SOS), a Raleigh-based organization that collects new and used shoes to redistribute where they are needed. He got involved after seeing a video on the SOS Web site about the group's efforts in Haiti.

"There was this little girl with no shoes - no, actually she had half of one shoe," Moton recalled. "When I saw that, I knew that I had to do something to help. It broke my heart."

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LINK: SHAREOURSHOES

NCCU's LeVelle Moton: No excuses necessary

Durham, N.C. -- North Carolina Central UniversityEagles ended its men's basketball season Feb. 25 with an 83-69 loss to Longwood University. Coach LeVelle Moton's first-season record concluded with seven wins against 22 losses. That's still three more wins than all of last year. Don't expect to find Moton in a corner with his head in his hands or polishing up his resume. He knew what the job description entailed when he applied. The Eagles have completed their third independent year of transition to Division I. (Women's basketball ends March 14.) They have won 15 games in three years, but that's going to change.

Next season, the university becomes a full member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a Division I historically black conference, which will level the playing field considerably. Oh, there'll still be the "money games," where low- to mid-major teams play top Division I programs for financial gain, but they won't make up an entire season. "I had Coach K [Duke's Mike Krzyzewski] call me and tell me he couldn't do what I'm doing," said Moton, the school's third all-time leading scorer (1,714 points). "We've been through some trials and tribulations and some adversity, but that's what life is about. We didn't have Batman, we had a bunch of Robins."

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