Jan. 30, 2010
Final Stats
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO (NCCUEaglePride.com)- For the North Carolina Central University men's basketball team, offense in the previous two contests was somewhat of a struggle. In Wednesday night's tough 70-57 loss to Youngstown State University, the Eagles shot a season high 56.4 percent which included 14-for-20 (70%) in the second half, but 20 turnovers did the Eagles in at the Beeghly Center.
NCCU and YSU came out dead even in the early going with the Eagles taking a 15-13 lead after a junior C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) free throw with 12:32 left in the first half. It was from that point where the veteran Penguins flexed its muscle going on a 16-2 run over a nine-minute span to grab a 12 point lead at 29-17 with 3:13 remaining. YSU kept its advantage at double figures taking a 32-21 lead at the half.
The second half started with both teams trading buckets with the Penguins extending its lead to 13 at 49-36 following a Vytas Sulskis three-pointer with 10:52 to go. Like a flash of lightning NCCU made its patented second half surge, going on a 9-0 run in 1:46 seconds thanks in part to a technical foul called on YSU head coach, Jerry Slocum. Wilkerson keyed the run with all seven points following the technical foul including the huge three-point basket that pulled NCCU with four at 49-45 with 9:06 to go.
This is where the experienced Penguins made its mark on the ensuing possession leading scorer DeAndre Mays hit a momentum swinging three to jolt YSU ahead by seven, and the Penguins never looked back answering with a 15-2 run pulling ahead 64-47 with 3:58 to go.
Helping the Eagles come ever so close to pulling an upset, Wilkerson scored 20 second half points going 6-for-9 from the field to lead the way. Sophomore Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) added 13 points while spending most of the night in foul trouble.
NCCU (4-18) heads back home for its next-to-last road game of the season, as the Eagles travel just 20 minutes to the east to take on the Wolfpack of NC State University, weather permitting as local forecasters are predicting as much as seven inches of snow this weekend. Tipoff at the RBC Center for the third meeting between the Wolfpack and the Eagles is set for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.
To stay up-to-date with NCCU Athletics, log on to NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of the NCCU Athletics Department.
