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RICHMOND, Ky. – After winning its first seven games of the season, all inside McBrayer Arena, the Eastern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball team will take to the road for the first time when they face North Carolina Central on Tuesday.

Tip-off in Durham is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com.

Eastern Kentucky is off to its best start in 66 years.  The last time EKU started a season with more than five straight wins was in 1946-47 when the “Maroons” won their first 11 games.  Eastern’s 7-0 start is the fourth best in program history.  EKU’s best starts have been 12-0 (1943-44), 11-0 (1946-47) and 9-0 (1939-40).

The Colonels are the only remaining team in the Ohio Valley Conference without a loss this season.  EKU is now one of only four undefeated mid-major teams in the nation.

EKU’s current seven game winning streak is its longest since winning seven straight in January and February of 2007.  Eastern also won seven straight in 2004-05.  The last time the Colonels won more than seven in a row was a 10-game streak in 1964-65.

The Colonels have shot 50 percent or better from the field in five of their first seven games and knocked down 49 percent in another game.

North Carolina Central is the third of four teams that Eastern Kentucky will face this season from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).  EKU beat Norfolk State and Delaware State at home.  The Colonels will play at North Carolina A&T later this month.

NCCU is 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the MEAC after beating A&T, 66-62, on Saturday.  Two of the Eagles’ five wins came against non-Division I teams.

Stanton Kidd, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, leads the team in scoring (14 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.4 rpg).  Kidd has shot 49 percent from the field this season.  Ray Willis, a 6-foot-6 guard, averages 13.6 points per game and a team-best 6.6 rebounds per contest.  Ray has shot 47 percent from the field and 91 percent (31-for-34) at the free throw line.

As a team, North Carolina Central averages 69 points per game and has allowed only 58 points.  The Eagles have played well defensively.  Opponents are shooting only 39.7 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from three-point range.  NCCU is averaging 4.8 fewer turnovers than its opponents.

On November 24, Central lost to Wagner, 38-36.  The Eagles held WC to 29 percent shooting from the field and 22 percent from three-point range, but made just 23 percent of their own shots from the field.

Kidd went 13-for-13 at the free throw line and led NCCU with 24 points against North Carolina A&T.  Willis had 17 points and eight rebounds.  Jay Copeland contributed nine points and 10 boards.

This will be the second meeting between the two programs.  Eastern beat Central 75-62 last year in Richmond.