Box Score DURHAM, N.C. – For the second straight game, North Carolina Central University held its opponent to single-digit field goals in each half, combined with redshirt junior Jay Copeland's second consecutive double-double as the Eagles led tape-to-tape on the way to a 71-55 convincing win over the Highlanders of NJIT on Thursday night inside McDougald-McLendon Gym.
 
In the first meeting between these two programs, the maroon and gray wasted no time and sending a message to NJIT scoring the games' first six points, taking a 12-2 lead into the first media timeout.
 
NCCU led by as much as 15 in the first frame following junior Jordan Parks dunk with 5:16 left to put the Eagles up 32-17.
 
The Highlanders leading scorer, freshman Damon Lynn, kept NJIT in the contest with stellar shooting in the first half going 4-for-8 from the perimeter which kept the game close as the Eagles took a 36-24 lead into the locker, after the 5-11 shooting guard drilled a 25-foot three-pointer with time winding down.
 
At the half, NCCU held NJIT to 7-for-20 (35.0 percent) from-the-field and turned the ball over 11 times, while the Eagles shot 14-for-32 (43.8 percent) including 8-for-11 (72.7 percent) from-the-line.
 
The final 20 minutes of play saw the maroon and gray expand the lead to 15 at 50-35 after senior Jeremy Ingram's (Charlotte, N.C.) jumper.  The next two buckets for the Eagles were highlight reel dunks by Ingram and Parks that sent the announced crowd of 2,114 to their feet as NCCU took a commanding 54-35 lead on the Highlanders.
 
From that point on, the Eagles put it in cruise control, seeing the lead grow to 27 with 7:03 left after redshirt freshman Juwan Moody's three-pointer in front of the maroon and gray bench.
 
The margin grew to 28 at 70-42 after senior Alfonzo Houston (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) scored on a driving layup with 4:29 remaining.
 
From that point forward, NJIT outscored NCCU 13-to-1 to put the game at its final score of 71-55, giving the Eagles their win No. 15 in-a-row at home.
 
In the victory, the maroon and gray outscored the Highlanders 40-to-10 in-the-paint, 22-to-8 in the points off turnovers battle as the Eagles forced NJIT into 22 errors to just 12 for NCCU.
The Highlanders finished the second half shooting 9-for-23 (39.1 percent) giving the Eagles their fourth consecutive half keeping the opponents under 10 made field goals.
 
NJIT (8-11, 4-7 away) ended a two-game winning streak, but was led by Lynn's 19 points as the lone scorer in double figures.  Terrance Smith and Rob Ukawuba both combined for six points.
 
NCCU (10-5, 1-1 MEAC) won its second straight game, outrebounded the Highlanders 35-to-29, and was led by Parks 14 points on six-of-eight shooting.  Copeland ended the night with 13 points and 10 rebounds for his third career double-double.  Ingram scored in double figures for the 53rd time in his Eagle career as he now has 1,105 points as an Eagle, 21 points shy of Nathaniel Lindsey (1990-94) for No. 22 on the list who finished with 1,126 points.
 
The Eagles get back to league action this weekend as they welcome the Hornets of Delaware State University in doubleheader action with the men's contest slated for a 4:00 tipoff on Saturday, Jan 18.
 
NCCU Athletics is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1989 NCAA Division II National Championship team, which will take place at halftime of the men's game.


Tickets are available by calling the NCCU Ticket office at 919-530-5170.
 
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