Box Score


ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Junior Jeremy Ingram’s (Charlotte, N.C.) 26 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the perimeter, along with Emanuel Chapman’s (Raleigh, N.C.) 10 assists, and scoring 14 points off turnovers was all North Carolina Central University needed to get back on the victory train, taking down the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University 71-52 on Monday night from the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
The maroon and gray stumbled out of gates as the Eagles trailed the host Bulldogs 4-0 following a Shaquiell Mitchell layup with 17:44 left.  In fact, it took the NCCU nearly four-and-a-half minutes, going 0-for-5 from the field, before scoring its first bucket on a Stanton Kidd (Baltimore, Md.) jumper to put NCCU on the board.
 
The Eagles scored the next eight points to jump out in front 10-4 on SCSU, following two Ray Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) free-throws with 13:26 to go.
 
Over the next five minutes, the maroon and gray stamped out another 10-4 run to stretch the lead to 12 at 20-8 with 8:34 left in the first frame.
 
With 2:51 remaining in the frame, Kidd recorded his second foul and was sent to the bench, and the Eagles responded nicely thanks in part to Antonin Galaya’s (St. Martin, French West Indies) play off- the-bench. 
 
Galaya scored his first points on a putback after an Ingram miss with the shot clock winding down, then the junior took a charge on the defensive side of the ball, following that up with a three-pointers with 1:18 to go in the frame, helping NCCU take a 37-24 lead into the locker room, stealing any amount of momentum that the Bulldogs were trying to create over the final three minutes.
 
During the last seven minutes of the half, the Eagles made 7-of-10 shots to bury SC State behind a double-digit deficit and finish the first half shooting 54.2 percent, including 4-for-7 (57.1 percent) from three-point range.
 
The Bulldogs came out with guns blazing in the second half trying to get back in the contest and cut the deficit to single digits on three different occasions, but each time the Eagles had an answer.
 
A three-pointer by Adama Adams put the score at 41-35 with 16:09 left in the game, and the maroon and gray returned the favor immediately on a huge jumper by Kidd to put NCCU back up by eight at 43-35 with 15:39 left.
 
That was just the juice the Eagles needed to go on a 14-2 run and spread the lead to 20 at 57-37 that was highlighted by two Ingram shots from-the-outside. 
 
NCCU’s advantage grew to as high as 24 at 71-47 with 1:16 to go on shot from behind-the-arc from Alfonzo Houston (Cleveland Heights, Ohio). 
 
The Eagles cruised to the 71-52 win, marking the most wins for the program since moving to the NCAA Division I level.  Not since the 1997-98 campaign has NCCU recorded 18 wins.
 
The 26-point outing by Ingram marked the eighth time in his career where he scored 20 or more points, while Chapman dished out 10 assists in the win, and has now reached this feat nine times in his career.  Chapman currently has 379 career helpers, needing 21 to become only the second Eagle in school history to record 400 assists.
 
NCCU (18-8, 10-1 MEAC) was aided by Kidd’s 13 points and five rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting, despite being in foul trouble most of the night, playing only 24 minutes. Willis shrugged off an 0-for-3 start to heat up in the second half going 6-for-6 from the field to finish with 11 points in the win.
 
South Carolina State (5-19, 1-10 MEAC) was led by Adams who ended up with 13 points, while Khalif Toombs finished with 11 points and six assists.
 
The maroon and gray return home for the final three home games in the 2012-13 season, as the Eagles host the arch-rival Aggies of North Carolina A&T on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 4:00 p.m. from McDougald-McLendon Gym.
 
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.