Box Score
Postgame Press Conference (MEAC Quarterfinals)


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – The fifth-seeded Eagles of North Carolina Central University climbed back from a 13-point second half deficit only to fall on a 15-foot Garrius Holloman jumper with 5.7 seconds left in a heartbreaking 60-59 loss in the quarterfinals of the 2012 MEAC Basketball Tournament at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Thursday night.
 
B-CU came out scorching hot from the field while the Eagles struggled, and with the game tied at 9, the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run to pull ahead 20-11 with 11:39 to go in the first half. 
 
Bethune-Cookman missed just 11 shots in the first half shooting 17-for-28 from the field (60.7 percent) while the Eagles were held to just 9-for-23 (39.1 percent) but kept hope alive by going 10-for-12 (83.3 percent) from the foul line.
 
The Wildcat lead grew to 15 after another 9-3 spurt, but the Eagles ended the half with a Dominique Sutton (Durham, N.C.) three-point play to cut the margin to 10 at the break at 40-30.
 
The second half saw the script flipped as NCCU used the outside shot to storm back. 
 
With the score at 48-38, sophomore Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) drilled a three-pointer to cut the lead to 10 at 48-38 with 12:18 left.
 
On the next possession, senior Nick Chasten (Raleigh, N.C.) hit a three from the top of the key to get the NCCU faithful on its feet and cut the margin to seven at 48-41 with 11:42 remaining.
 
After trading buckets, sophomore Emanuel Chapman hit another three-pointer to make it 52-46 with a little over 10 minutes left.
 
With 9:38 remaining Chasten’s second shot from the outside cut the Wildcat advantage to three at 52-49.
 
Ebuka Anyaorah’s (Suwanee, Ga.) layup with 6:03 to go tied the ballgame at 56 setting up the drama down the stretch.
 
After an Adrien Coleman bucket for the Wildcats to grab the lead back at 58-56 with 5:32 to go, NCCU scored the game’s next three points that included a jumper by Ray Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) to give the Eagles a 59-58 lead with 3:40 to go.
 
Over the final three minutes, the Eagles committed three turnovers, yet still held onto a one-point lead.
 
With 41.9 seconds left, B-CU’s Stanley Elliott missed two free throws, giving the Eagles another chance to put the game away.
 
After calling a timeout with 21 seconds left, Sutton drove down the right side of the floor skying for what was thought to be a game-clinching, highlight reel dunk, but B-CU’s Elliott slid underneath the 6-5 forward forcing the official to call a charge, sending Sutton to the bench with five fouls.
 
That controversial call gave the ball back to B-CU which set the stage for Holloman’s game-winning jumper that fell in with 5.7 seconds left and the Eagles could not get a shot off in time falling in the MEAC quarterfinals 60-59.
 
The win sends the Wildcats into the semifinals against the no. 8 seed Hampton University and the loss ends the year for the Eagles tying for the most wins since the 1999-2000 campaign with 17 victories.
 
Sutton finished his final game at NCCU the way he began the season with a double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds despite fouling out.  He finished his career with 10 double-doubles as an Eagle.
 
Playing through an injured ankle, Ingram, grinded out 11 points for the Eagles.  Chasten ended the night with six points finishing his career with 1,016 points finishing No. 31 in school history in career points.
 
NCCU held B-CU to just 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) in the second half, while the Eagles went 11-for-23 (47.8 percent) from the field.
 
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