Complete Game Statistics
Photo Gallery (Photos by Michael Simmons)
HIGH POINT, N.C. - With 15:34 left in the first half, the Eagles of North Carolina Central University and the High Point University Panthers were tied at five. Over the next ten minutes, NCCU was outscored 25-6 to find themselves behind at 30 to 11 with 5:39 to go, thanks in part to key plays by the Panthers ended up being just enough to vault HPU to the 82-74 win despite the valiant second half effort by the Eagles on Monday night inside the Millis Center in High Point, N.C.
NCCU was a paltry 9-for-25 (36.0%) from the field and 1-for-6 (16.7%) from three-point range in the first frame along with seven turnovers, while HPU added 23 points off the bench as the Eagles dug a 15-point first half hole trailing 38-23.
Landon Clement (Raleigh, N.C.) struggled in the first 20 minutes going 1-for-7 mustering only a 1-for-3 effort from the outside scoring just three points.
The second half saw a totally different NCCU ballclub step on the floor as C.J. Wilkerson (Oxford, N.C.) and Clement started to heat up leading a 15-4 spurt through the first four minutes cutting the deficit to four at 42-38, but on the ensuing Panther possession, point guard Jairus Simms took the ball strong the hole getting a layup and the foul to put HPU back up by seven after the made free throw with 15:48 to go.
High Point went on to stretch the lead back out to 15 when senior guard David Campbell hit his only three game of the night putting the Panthers up 61-46 with 8:58 to go.
The resilient Eagles would not go away quietly continuing to scratch and claw back into the contest with a 7-3 run of its own to cut the deficit back below single digits at 64-56 with 6:35 to go following a Wilkerson three pointer, but the Panthers again had an answer as Shay Shine hit a layup to put HPU back up by 10 at 66-56 with 6:03 remaining.
NCCU threw perhaps its biggest punch of the night with a 7-0 rally prior to the final media timeout to bring the margin down to three one last time at 66-63 with 4:04 left after Clement’s clutch three pointer, but again Simms hit a floater over Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) to put the Panthers back up by 5 at 68-63 with 3:35 left.
Tremendous free throw shooting for High Point allowed the Panthers to hang on over the final minutes as HPU went an astounding 21-for-23 (91.3%) from the line to pull away for the 82-74 win.
Both Clement and Wilkerson tied for a game-high 24 points to lead the Eagles, while freshman Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) continued to impress the NCCU faithful in attendance by scoring in double-figures for the second straight contest with 14 pts while showing the poise of a senior at the free throw line going 7-for-10. The Eagles ran their record to 10-2 when Chasten scores in double-figures as the junior ended up with 10 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.
High Point’s (10-13, 6-7 Big South) leading scorer, Nick Barbour, finished with 19 points while his backcourt mate Shine went a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in his 18-point effort for the Panthers.
NCCU (11-11) has the rest of the week off as it prepares to get back into conference play on Valentine’s Day when the Coppin State University Eagles visit the Bull City looking to avenge a 77-71 loss on Jan. 15, 2011. Tipoff is set for 7:30 from McDougald-McLendon Gym on Monday, Feb. 14.
To stay up-to-date with NCCU Athletics, log on to NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of the NCCU Athletics Department.
