Box Score

AUDIO:  LeVelle Moton Postgame Comments (Bethune-Cookman)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – North Carolina Central University used a tremendous second half shooting effort, led by senior Ray Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) who finished with a season-high 26 points going 5-for-5 from the field including a perfect 13-for-13 from the foul line as the maroon and gray turned a four point halftime deficit into a 75-66 victory over the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University inside Moore Gymnasium in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
The win for NCCU marks the fourth straight for the Eagles, the longest winning streak since Dec. of 2012. 
 
The maroon and gray shot a ridiculous 11-for-18 (61.1 percent) from the field in the second half, while Bethune-Cookman managed to shoot just 9-for-25 (36 percent) against the NCCU defense.
 
In the seventh meeting between these two bitter foes, the Eagles threw one of its best punches first, bolting out to a 14-4 advantage with 14:46 to go behind eight quick points from junior Stanton Kidd (Baltimore, Md.) that included two powerful dunks.
 
Bethune-Cookman scored the next seven points to bring the deficit down to three at 14-11 on a Malik Jackson three-pointer from the left corner with 12:13 left.
 
Both teams went back and forth until the Wildcats took their first lead of the night on a Kevin Dukes shot from-the-outside as B-CU led 27-26 with 3:04 remaining.
 
Ricky Johnson’s three free throws capped the scoring in the first frame as Bethune-Cookman took a 32-38 lead taking a 10-2 momentum swinging run into the locker room.
 
The maroon and gray would not be denied as junior Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) drilled a three-pointer to start the second half and got the Eagles rolling, cutting  the margin to one at 32-31.  Ingram was held to zero points in the first frame after getting in early foul trouble.
 
Through the first two minutes of the second stanza, NCCU scored the first seven points to grab a 35-32 advantage.
 
With 13:40 remaining in the game, an Alex Smith dunk knotted the game up at 40-40, when Willis answered and gave the Eagles the lead right back at 43-40 with the shot clock winding down.
 
Bethune-Cookman’s leading scorer, Adrien Coleman, drilled his second three-pointer of the season to put the score at 47-44 with 7:52 to and promptly received a technical foul for his repeated taunting which opened the door for NCCU and head coach LeVelle Moton’s squad took full advantage.
 
Willis hit both technical foul free throws and dropped in another bucket on the following possession to give the Eagles a 51-44 lead with 7:30 to go.
 
The margin grew to 12 at 59-47 when BCU head coach Gravelle Craig received a technical foul and swelled to 14 with 4:39 to go and the Eagles held on from there winning the ballgame 75-66.
 
Not to be overshadowed by Willis’s big second half, for the second straight ballgame Kidd eclipsed the 20-point mark with 23 points on a ridiculous 11-of-14 shooting that included 17 points in the first frame on 8-of-10 shooting.
 
Despite the early foul trouble, Ingram ended the night with 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while his teammate Alfonzo Houston (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) stepped up with 10 points going 3-for-3 from the field with a block in 16 minutes of action.
 
BCU (6-12, 1-2 MEAC) was led by Coleman’s 18 points, four rebounds, and two assists but the Eagles did just enough to frustrate the MEAC’s top scorer.  Javoris Bryant ended the night with 10 points as the only other Wildcat in double figures in the loss.
 
NCCU (10-7, 3-0 MEAC) saw another milestone surpassed in the victory as junior Emanuel Chapman (Raleigh, N.C.) piled up eight assists to move him into fourth place all-time on the career assists lists passing Kevin Thompson (316 assists, 1984-87).  Chapman currently has 319 helpers and needs 41 more to tie Donald Sinclair (1979-81) for third all-time.
 
Another stat of interest, Moton’s squad outscored the Wildcats 42-to-26 in the paint, as B-CU still leads the all-time series 4-3 with the Eagles winning three of the last four matchups.
 
This is the earliest date the maroon and grave have earned win No. 10 since the 2004-05 campaign when the Eagles earned that feat on Jan. 20, 2005 in a 73-56 victory over Belmont Abbey which pushed the record then to 10-5.
 
The maroon and gray have the weekend off before returning back to the friendly confines of McDougald Gym as the Eagles battle Howard University on Monday January, 21 at 7:30 p.m.  That contest is the first of three at home for the Eagles.
 
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.