Title image via Carol Smith
Courtesy of Delaware State Athletics
2022-23 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL
“HORNETS” (1-15; 0-3 MEAC ) vs. No. Carolina Central “Eagles” (9-8; 2–1 MEAC)
Sat. Jan. 21, 2023 – 4:00 pm
(Durham, N.C. – McLendon / McDougald Gym – 3,000)
Live Video: NCCU 8N
THE GAME
Delaware State (1-15; 0-3 MEAC) continues a three-game road swing with a visit to MEAC rival North Carolina Central. The Hornets have dropped 14 straight games since their lone win of the season, 104-67, vs. Immaculata (Pa.) on Nov. 10. Delaware State is coming off a hard-fought 68-66 MEAC loss to Maryland-Eastern Shore last Saturday. The contest featured 18 lead changes and eight ties. The Hornets had the final possession with the Hawks leading by two but came up empty. The loss also overshadowed another stellar performance by Hornet guard Martz Robinson, who led all players with a career-high 24 points on six-for-12 shooting from the field, including two three-pointers on three attempts, and 10-of-11 on free throw attempts. He also topped the Hornets with eight rebounds. Raymond Somerville (3-3 FG; 4-4 FT) and Kyle Johnson added 10 points and seven rebounds each for Delaware State in the game. The Hornets led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but settled for a 32-31 lead at the break. UMES won the second half 37-34. Despite missing the last three games due to a knee injury, forward Brandon Stone (sr.) is still tops on the Hornets in scoring at 12.0 points per game and in rebounding with 5.1 per contest. Stone is in his first season with Delaware State after previously attending Robert Morris University (Pa.). Khyrie Staten Is second on the Hornets in scoring at 8.8 points per game. Staten also has a team-high 22 steals. Robinson has scored 45 points in the last two games to climb to third on the Hornets with an 8.5 point-per-game average. He’s also second on the team with 42 assists and third in rebounding at 4.3 per game. Fellow guard Jevin Muniz is Delaware State’s fourth leading scorer at 8.3 points per game and second on the club with 20 three-pointers. Shooting guard O’Koye Parkeris fifth on the Hornets with a 7.4 point per game average and tops the team with 21 three-pointers on 44 attempts (.477)
North Carolina Central (9-8; 2-1 MEAC) has won two straight and four of its last five games. After dropping their MEAC opener to Morgan State (78-73), the Eagles have bounced back with consecutive wins against Coppin State (64-59), and most recently vs. South Carolina State (71-67) last Monday. Eric Boone led five double-figure scorers for NC Central with 15 points vs. South Carolina State. Brendan Bacon-Medley had 13 points and tied for game-high honors with eight rebounds in the game. Justin Wright is the Eagles’ leading scorer at 15.6 points per game to rank fifth in the MEAC this season (as of Jan. 18).
THE SERIES (NCCU leads 30-17)
This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the Hornets and Eagles this season. North Carolina Central has won the last five contests, including three during the 2021-22 campaign. The Eagles took last season’s first meeting 86-53 at the HBCU Legacy Classic in Newark, N.J. NCCU also posted a 73-49 victory at Delaware State and won 84-79 in overtime in Durham, N.C., last season. In the third 2021-22 meeting, the Hornets led by 12 points with less than five minutes to play in regulation. Delaware State was ahead 73-70 when NCCU’s Justin Wright nailed a three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left in the second half to force the extra period. Delaware State was ahead 79-77 in overtime, but the Eagles scored the last seven points to complete the comeback win. The teams are scheduled to meet again this season on Feb. 18 in Dover, Del.
