Preview: NC Central at North Carolina

After three weeks of taking on each other, the Tar Heels finally get to take the court this Saturday against another opponent in the form of the North Carolina Central Eagles. The Eagles are a Division-II squad in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Unfortunately for UNC, the injury bug has already bitten the team in 2003-04 despite the fact that the season opener is still weeks away. David Noel has been lost to a thumb injury until January, while Rashad McCants and Damion Grant have also been slowed by nagging injuries during the early season practices. McCants and Grant missed last weekend's Blue/White game due to the injuries.

Curtis Knight Selected Pre-Season All-CIAA

North Carolina Central University junior guard Curtis Knight was voted to the 2003-04 Pre-Season All-Conference Basketball Teams in early October.

Knight, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard out of Greenville, NC, is the Eagles top returning scorer, averaging 9.6 points per contest a year ago. He also recorded 93 rebounds, 36 assists and 21 steals during his sophomore campaign.

Eagles Picked To Finish Third In CIAA's Western Division

After winning the 2003 CIAA Western Division Championship, the NCCU men have been picked to finish third in the Western Division race this season. Knight is the Eagles only returning starter among the four letterwinners back on this year's roster. Senior guard James Tucker (6-0, 175, Durham, NC), senior forward Jermond Debro (6-7, 215, Enfield, NC), and sophomore forward Surrell Evans (6-6, 180, Durham, NC) are the other Eagle returnees.

NCCU head coach Phil Spence, the 2003 CIAA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year, has added five transfers that are ready to start in the fall, with at least three others joining the squad in the second semester.

One of the five transfers that are ready to start in the fall is 6-5, 200 senior David Young, a former swingman at Xavier. He joins Knight and Tucker as the captains of the 2003-04 Eagles. Young played in two NCAA Tournaments while at Xavier.

NCCU Head Coach Phil Spence

Phil Spence enjoyed a standout playing career at North Carolina State University. After earning junior college All-American honors at Vincennes (Indiana) University during his freshman year (1972-73), Spence joined the Wolfpack and was a key member of the 1974 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball team. As a junior, he led NCSU with 281 rebounds (10.0 rpg) and was third in scoring with 368 points (13.1 ppg). In his senior season, Spence was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with 438 points (13.6 ppg) and 273 boards (9.1 rpg).

Before being hired as the head coach at NCCU on July 14, 2000, Spence coached the boys' basketball team at East Wake High School (Raleigh, NC) for 10 seasons (1989-99). During that time, he led the Warriors to three consecutive state playoff appearances, including a trip to the state 4-A championships. For his efforts, Spence was recognized as the Tri-6 Conference and Wake County Coach of the Year in both 1991 and 1992.

Prior to his stint at East Wake, Spence spent 10 seasons at Cary High School (1979-89). He served as the junior varsity boys' basketball coach for the first four years and became the head coach of the varsity team for the final six years.