Game Statistics        Video Post-Game Interviews        Photo Gallery     

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – In a rivalry contest that experienced nine ties and 19 lead changes, the visiting Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University used a 5-0 run with less than two minutes to play to capture a 72-67 over North Carolina Central University on Monday night.

A sellout crowd of 3,056 packed McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium to witness NC A&T’s first men’s basketball visit to the NCCU campus in 26 years. Those in attendance got their money’s worth.

NCCU (13-13) held its largest lead of the game at 26-18 after an old-fashion three-point play by junior forward Nick Chasten, who topped the Eagles by equaling a career-high with 24 points, with 6:46 left in the first half.

NC A&T (13-15) closed the first stanza on a 14-5 run, including six points by sophomore forward Adrian Powell, to give the Aggies a one-point advantage going into the locker room, 32-31. The Eagles committed four turnovers and shot just 2-for-9 from the floor during the aforementioned A&T run to end the half.

A back-and-forth second half had 6 ties and 12 lead changes. NCCU junior sharpshooter Landon Clement, who nailed five three-pointers to increase his single-season school record to 99, connected from long range to put the Eagles on top 63-62 with 4:01 remaining in the contest.

The rivals went scoreless for more than two minutes before A&T senior center Thomas Coleman scored on the inside to give the Aggies a 64-63 margin at the 1:44 mark.

After a missed three-point try by Clement, A&T junior guard Marc Hill drained the biggest shot of the evening when he swished a trifecta from the top of the key with the shot clock winding down to stretch the gap to 67-63 with only 58 second left.

Wilkerson hit a pair of free throws with 46 seconds on the clock to trim the deficit to two points. But after A&T turned the ball over on the ensuing in-bounds pass, Clement missed the mark on another three-point shot and Powell made converted a three-point play the old-fashioned way on the other end to seal the road victory for the Aggies.

A&T was powered by Coleman’s 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists – all team-highs. Powell finished with 13 points and Hill added 10 points.

Besides Chasten’s team-bests of 24 points and eight boards, senior guard #C.J. Wilkerson# tallied 20 points and Clement recorded 17 points.

NCCU was whistled for 22 fouls compared to 14 by the visitors, resulting in 10 more free-throw attempts by the Aggies. A&T used its size advantage for 38-18 scoring advantage in the paint.

The Aggies blistered the nets by connecting on 27-of-50 from the field (54.0 percent), including 7-of-16 from long distance (43.8 percent). NCCU managed to shoot 42.6 percent from the floor (23-of-54), including 44.4 percent from beyond the arc (12-of-27).

NCCU will look to rebound from Monday’s setback during a two-game road swing to the sunshine state, when the Eagles visit Florida A&M on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Bethune-Cookman on Monday, Feb. 28.

Fans will be able to listen to the live action on WRJD 1410 AM (Durham, N.C.) and online at www.NCCUEaglePride.com, courtesy of the NCCU Sports Network.