Eagle Hoops Take on North Carolina Central

BALTIMOMRE - Coppin State (6-19, 4-8) host North Carolina Central (10-15, 5-6) on Thursday night in the PEC Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m. North Carolina Central won both games last season, with one meeting coming in the MEAC Tournament Quarterfinals. Neither team has faced each other this season.

GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Physical Education Complex (4,100)
Tipoff Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Live Stats: http://hbculivestats.com/coppin/mbball/xlive.htm

ABOUT THE EAGLES
· The Eagles have gone 6-19, posting a 4-8 mark in MEAC games, and have four regular-season games remaining … Coppin State is 1-4 in the month of February with their lone win coming in a 90-66 win at home over Howard (Feb. 13) … Last month in January, CSU went 3-2 with key road wins against Bethune Cookman and Florida A&M … In November they won back-to-back games against Division II opponents Goldey-Beacom and Chestnut Hill.
· Coppin State dropped a 71-67 decision to Delaware State at home on Monday … Terry Harris, Jr. led the Eagles with 18 points and eight rebounds while converting on 8-of-11 free throws. CSU outrebounded the Hornets 42-28 and forced them into 15 turnovers. 
· The Eagles are currently amidst a four-game stretch that features two home games and two road  games to close out the regular season … following Thursday's game vs. North Carolina Central, Coppin State heads to Norfolk State (Feb. 21) for a televised game on ESPNU and then will host rival Morgan State University on Homecoming (Feb. 27).
· Coppin State has made a 3-PT FG in 184 consecutive games, the longest streak in the NCAA.

COMING UP THURSDAY
· Coppin State and North Carolina Central square off for the first time this season on Thursday night. Last season NCCU won both of the meetings including a 91-43 win at the 2015 MEAC Tournament. NCCU leads the all-time series 7-2 and have won the last four matchups.
 
KESSEE SHOOTS LIGHT OUT
· Junior guard Christian Kessee leads the Eagles in points (13.8 ppg), field goals made  (4.6 per game), 3-Point FGs made (2.5 per game), free throw percent (80.3 %), and in minutes (31.2). He scored in double figures 17 times this season and in four consecutive games. Four times this season he has made four or more three-pointers in a game. He tied a career-high scoring 27 points twice in the month of February.
 
HARRIS HITS THE BOARDS
· Junior forward Terry Harris, Jr. averages 7.0 rebounds per game. Nine times this season he grabbed double digit rebounds and has seven double-double performances. In MEAC games, the Eagles are 3-1 when Coppin State wins the rebounding battle and are 0-7 when the opponents have more.
 
EAGLES AT HOME
· Coppin State holds a 4-6 record when playing at home in the Physical Education Complex this season. The Eagles recently loss to Delaware State on Monday, but previously downed Howard last Saturday in their largest win of the season (90-66). In 2014-15, the Eagles went 4-7 at home with a solid start to their campaign, but ended with four straight losses to end the regular season.
 
WHAT'S ON DECK
· Following this Thursday night's game against North Carolina Central, Coppin State will play Norfolk State in a nationally televised contest on Monday, Feb. 22. Game time in Joseph Echols Hall is 9 p.m. The Eagles and Spartans have not yet played each other this season. Coppin State has complied a 11-24 all-time record against Norfolk State and are on a current five game losing streak.