With the exhibition season in the rear-view mirror, N.C. Central will begin its final season in NCAA Division II tonight at McLendon-McDougald Gym against an excellent field in the BC Powder Classic. 

Henry Dickerson's club (10-18 last season) will tip off the season tonight at 7 p.m. against Columbus (Ga.) State (23-9 last season), a traditional power in the Peach Belt Conference. That will follow a 5 p.m. contest matching St. Augustine's (19-7 last season) against Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference power Barton (28-4 last season), which won the East Regional last season and is picked in the nation's Top 10 in several preseason polls. 

"I think it's the best field we've had in the tournament since I got here," said Dickerson, who is starting his third campaign as the Eagles' mentor. 

NCCU went 0-3 in the exhibition season, dropped games at NAIA superpower Mountain State as well as ACC neighbors Duke and Wake Forest. A win in any of those three road games would have been a huge upset, but the Eagles lost by only 68-60 to the Deacons. 

Senior wing Drew Johnson averaged 24 points in the exhibition games, almost double his average of last season. And 6-9 senior center Jason Hervey, back following an injury redshirt season following a knee operation, has averaged 11.3 points. 

"We've had three tough games on the road," Dickerson said of the exhibitions, of which the Mountain State game actually counted on the NAIA team's record. "Now these games count. We should be ready. 

"We've just got to be as prepared for Columbus State as we were for Duke and Wake Forest. I think if we play as well as we did against Wake Forest, we can win a lot of games." 

The Eagles played Columbus State, opening its first season under interim coach and former long-time CSU assistant Doug Branson, twice last season. NCCU won the first meeting 93-50 at McLendon-McDougald Gym in the worst whipping of a Cougars team ever, then fell 70-60 three weeks later at Lumpkin Center. 

CSU's returning strength is in the backcourt, where 5-10 senior Ron Robinson (15.2, 3.7) and 5-11 junior Corris Portis (14.0, 2.5) hope to pick up where they left off last season. 

Barton, coached by veteran Ron Lievense, squeaked by visiting Elizabeth City State 83-82 in overtime in its opener on Wednesday night. 

Bobby Buffaloe, a 5-11 sophomore guard, paced the Bulldogs with 20 points in their opener, followed by 6-7 senior forward Alejo Barovero with 19, 5-10 senior point guard Anthony Atkinson with 16, and 6-6 junior center Brian Leggett with 10 points and 14 rebounds. 

St. Aug is strongest with its three preseason All-CIAA picks on the perimeter. The Falcons are led by 6-1 senior Antonio Fitzgerald (22.5, 4.7), 6-7 senior forward Nicholas King (20.5, 7.5) and 6-2 senior Claude Neeley (19.9, 8.8). 

NOTES -- The classic will conclude Saturday, with St. Aug taking on Columbus State at 4 followed by NCCU vs. Barton at 6. … Following Saturday's game the Eagles will have a week off, followed by a Nov. 26 game at East Carolina. The Pirates will be NCCU's only Division I opponents of the regular season.