Nov. 23, 2009
Final Stats
MIAMI, FLA. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- The North Carolina Central University Men's basketball team played Murray State University in its second contest of the Miami regional during the 2009 2KSports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, falling 84-61 despite cutting a 19-point deficit to nine late in the second half at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
The Eagles have seemed to make a habit of playing even with the best of its competitors throughout the first 20 minutes, and that was the case on Sunday Night. The Racers started the contest on top, grabbing a nine-point lead following an Ivan Aska jumper with 10:23 left in the first half.
Over the next five and a half minutes, NCCU went on a 9-0 to tie the ballgame up thanks in part to two jumpers by junior point guard Michael Glasker (Newport News, Va.), but the game-tying bucket came from Vincent Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) knotting the game up at 22 with 6:34 in the first half.
From that point on in the first stanza, things turned sour for NCCU, and Murray State turned up the intensity going on a 17-2 run to end the half with a 39-24 lead.
In the second half a determined Eagles squad hit the floor and it showed. Murray State's B.J. Jenkins hit a three-pointer to put the Racers up 52-33 with 15:26 left in the ballgame and it looked as if the game was over. Over the next 7:05, NCCU outscored Murray State 20-10 cutting the margin from 19 to nine with 7:56 left. During the final 3:52, NCCU got cold from the field and were outscored 11-2 down the stretch to see the score rest at it final place 84-61.
NCCU (1-4) was led in scoring by sophomore Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.), who got his first start on the season, with a career-high 16 points and nine rebounds. Junior college transfer C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) recorded his first career double-double here at NCCU dropping in 14 points and grabbing 11 boards to continue his solid play to begin the season.
The Eagles have a short turn around and will complete round-robin play in the 2KSports Classic on Monday afternoon at 4:00 against James Madison.
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