Box Score


Eagles Postgame Report SC State

Back-to-Back Dunks vs. SC State

DURHAM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – The last home game of the season was a memorable one for North Carolina Central University as it closed out the schedule in the friendly-confines  with a 71-56 victory over the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University on Monday night in McDougald-McLendon Gym.
 
The contest started out very emotional for five senior student-athletes Justin Leemow (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Tramar Beaman (Williamstown, N.J.), Tracy O’Neal (Aiken, S.C.), Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) and Dominique Sutton (Durham, N.C.) as they donned the maroon and gray for the final time in front of the home faithful.
 
 Through the first 4:21 of the game NCCU came out firing on all cylinders as they jumped out to a quick 13-5 lead, after a couple of Sutton turn-around jumpers.
 
The senior energy was contagious as Emanuel Chapman(Raleigh, N.C.) came off the bench with three quick assists which consisted of two highlight reel alley-oops to Ebuka Anyaorah (Suwanee, Ga.) and Sutton which gave the Eagles a 22-10 lead with 10:59 remaining.
 
The Bulldogs seemed to never be able to cut the lead as the Eagles had an answer for every Bulldogs move.
 
The Eagles would close out the half with a three-pointer by Jeremy Ingram as the shot-clock was winding down (Charlotte, N.C.) and a tough Ray Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) lay-up with Bulldogs draped all over him, putting the Eagles up 41-25 at the break.
 
Through the first half the Bulldogs shot a dismal 8-for-26 (30.8%) from the field along with 11 turnovers. The Eagles took advantage of the missed Bulldog opportunities by turning them into points from the free throw line where the Eagle shot an impressive 8-for-10 (80%) in the first half.
 
The maroon and gray were determined not to let the Bulldogs back in it as they surged out of the locker room to begin the second half building the lead to its largest of the night at 51-31 with 15:49 remaining.
 
Over the next 6:44, the Bulldogs showed some life as an Omar Sanders lay-up cut the Eagle lead to 58-46 with 9:05 left in the game.
 
The Eagles quickly responded with an 8-2 run of their own to put the score at 66-48 with 6:55 remaining.
Sutton’s lay-up in traffic put the icing on the cake and led the Eagles to its third straight victory over the Bulldogs. Sutton finished with a team-high 20 points in the Eagle victory.
 
With 48.8 seconds remaining and the Eagles holding a 71-53 lead, head coach LeVelle Moton subbed all five student-athletes out of the contest giving the home crowd the chance to send the departing seniors off with a standing ovation.
 
South Carolina State’s (5-21, 0-12 MEAC) Joe Ikhinmwin led all scorers with 21 points in the loss for the Bulldogs.
 
NCCU (13-12, 7-5 MEAC) looks to continue its winning ways on Saturday, Feb. 18 as they travel to Greensboro, N.C. to go for the season-sweep over arch rival North Carolina A&T at 4:00 p.m., from the Corbett Sports Center.  This will mark meeting no. 139 between the two programs. 
 
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.