MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis used its size and athleticism to dominate the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, as the Tigers handed North Carolina Central University its worst loss in five seasons, beating the Eagles 81-47 inside FedExForum on Monday night.
 
The 34-point margin of defeat is the largest for NCCU since Feb. 17, 2011, when the Eagles fell at Coastal Carolina by a score of 94-59. Since then, NCCU had not lost by more than 20 points until Monday night at Memphis.
 
The Tigers scored the first nine points of the contest and never looked back. Memphis held a 42-18 advantage at halftime, and lead by as much as 39 points (72-33) with 8:07 remaining in the game.
 
Memphis controlled the inside, out-rebounding the Eagles 47-23 and out-scoring the visitors 50-24 in the paint. The Tigers also swatted seven NCCU shots, which would have looked much worse if not for Nate Maxey's four blocked shots for the Eagles.
 
NCCU struggled mightily to find the shooting mark. The Eagles hit only 14-of-47 from the field (29.8 percent), including just 1-of-15 from three-point range (6.7 percent), which is the lowest three-point shooting performance since going 0-for-4 versus Southern University on Nov. 15, 2012.
 
Jeremiah Ingram came off the bench to score a team-high 11 points for NCCU (6-5, 2-0 MEAC), as the lone Eagle to reach double figures. Anthony McDonald, who entered the contest ranked fourth in the nation with 39 three-pointers made this season, missed all five of his three-point attempts, yet finished with nine points.
 
Memphis (4-4) was topped by Trahson Burrell with 15 points to lead three Tigers to score double digits.
 
NCCU returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at home against Barber-Scotia College. Tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.