HAMPTON, Va. – North Carolina Central University senior guard Dajuan Graf (Charlotte, N.C.) was ready for primetime as he poured in 17 points to lead the Eagles to a 64-51 win over Hampton, ending the Pirates' undefeated start in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Convocation Center.

NCCU (12-6, 3-1 MEAC) jumped ahead of Hampton (6-11, 3-1 MEAC) on a 10-0 run after the Pirates scored the first bucket of the game, but the hosts responded in kind with a run of their own to cut the gap to two, and the first half remained a cozy affair.

The Pirates took the lead very briefly after a three-pointer from Lysander Bracey (Charlotte, N.C.) fired Hampton ahead by one, but Graf duplicated himself from the game at Norfolk State on Saturday by hitting a jumper at the horn to knot the game at 28 at the intermission.

The lead changed hands a few times in the second half, but it didn't take long for Graf to take over the game, scoring eight-straight for the Eagles as the maroon and gray ballooned the lead to 11 points.  During the same time frame, the Eagles prevented the Pirates from knocking down a single field-goal for over six minutes in the closing moments of the game.

???????Graf finished the game with an electric 17-point output with eight rebounds continuing what is now an 11-game stretch with double-digit point totals.  He was followed by Patrick Cole (Newark, N.J.) with 13 points and five boards, and Kyle Benton (Long Beach, Calif.) with 12 points and six caroms.

Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Pirates with 12 points, helped by Trevond Barnes (Lafayette, Ala.) who had eight points and seven rebounds.

The Eagles will have another short break as they have Saturday off before hosting Howard on Monday, Jan. 23 at McDougald-McLendon Arena.