Men's Basketball | 12/29/2022 12:52:00 PM

RADIO: Brian Holloway will bring the live action from Boston on 1400 AM and 96.3 FM. You can hear him online at tobaccoroadsportsradio.com. 

NORTH CAROLINA A&T AGGIES STORYLINES 

• A&T enters another historic time in the history of men's basketball as the Aggies prepare to play their first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game as they face Northeastern on the road. 
• The Aggies are back on the road, where they have spent the month of December. It started with a trip to Houston on Dec. 12. The trip moved to Vegas before going to El Paso, Texas.
• A&T returned home for a few days for the Christmas holiday, but they hit the road again for Boston on Dec. 28. On Dec. 30, the Aggies will head to Hempstead, NY, to face Hofstra on Dec. 31. 
• The Aggies first home game since playing UNC Greensboro on Nov. 30 will occur on Jan. 4 at 5 p.m., from Corbett Sports Center. It will be against what some consider the best team in the CAA in College of Charleston on CBS Sports Network. 
• When the Aggies begin play in the CAA, it will mark the third time they have started play in a different conference in three seasons. 
• In 2021, their conference opener was against S.C. State. The following year, the Aggies conference opener came against Presbyterian. The Aggies have never played a conference game this far north before. 
• The Aggies started their history of conference affiliation with the CIAA. 
• The Aggies have won their last five conference openers. Ironically, their previous conference opening loss was to Hampton on Jan. 4, 2017, when both teams were still members of the MEAC. Both teams are now members of the CAA. 
• Three-point shooting has been vital for the Aggies. The Aggies are coming off an 85-76 loss to New Mexico State, where they overcame three double-digit deficits using 3-point shooting. 
• A&T made 15 3-pointers in the game, turning a 20-point deficit in the first half into a tie game at 56 with 12 minutes to go. 
• The Aggies are 29th in the nation in 3-pointers made per game (9.6) and 22nd in the country in 3-point attempts per game (27.3). 
• Demetric Horton leads the way for the Aggies from the perimeter, ranking seventh in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.493) on 34-for-69 shooting. 
• Horton has scored in double figures in six straight games to tie for the longest streak of his career. 
• Kam Woods, another outstanding 3-point shooter, is fourth in the CAA in 3-pointers made and has reached double figures in six straight games. 
• Meanwhile, Marcus Watson is coming off a 20-point effort against New Mexico State. It marked his seventh career 20-plus scoring game. 
• Phillip Shumpert is the Aggies head coach on an interim basis. He took over the program for Will Jones in August. He missed three games with COVID but returned to earn the big win over UNCG. 
• Shumpert has been a significant part in helping the Aggies recruit some of their talent. 
• Shumpert took over on an interim basis in August. Shumpert has coached on many levels, including high school, Division II, junior college and Division I, and has head coaching experience on the junior college level for five years. 

 SCOUTING THE NORTHEASTERN HUSKIES

• Northeastern comes into its CAA opener 12-5 in CAA openers. The Huskies have also won three out of their last four games. 
• The Huskies have shot 45.6 percent from the floor in those games, including their first nine shots against UIC. 
• The Huskies were picked to finish sixth in the CAA coming into the season, with Jahmyl Telfort earning preseason second-team honors. 
• They are coming off a 73-70 win over Davidson in North Carolina, where Telfort had 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 shooting from 3-point range.
• Jared Turner added 12 points on 3-for-4 shooting from 3-point range. Turner earned CAA co-rookie of the week honors for his efforts. 
• Huskies shot 47.5 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from three (9-for-19) against Davidson. 
• Telfort leads the Huskies in scoring at 16.0 points per game. He is the only Huskie averaging in double figures. Telfort has scored in double figures every game this season except one. 
• Bill Coen leads the Huskies in his 17th season with the program. Coen has a 264-251 record at the school. He has led the Huskies to two NCAA appearances (2015 & 2019) and two NIT appearances (2010 & 2013). 

THE SERIES                 

• The Aggies and the Huskies are playing for the first time. The Aggies will also have a first-time opponent in Towson, Stony Brook, Drexel and Monmouth.