JACKSON, Miss. – After North Carolina Central University struggled mightily from the free throw line, junior Dante Holmes saved the day for NCCU by nailing a three-pointer with 32 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, where the Eagles held on to beat Jackson State 67-64.
 
While Holmes wore the hero mask in the clutch, NCCU senior point guard Nimrod Hilliard was the man that kept the Eagles close throughout the game, scoring a season-high 25 points for the Eagles. His previous high was 14 points.
 
NCCU junior guard Jeremiah Ingram came off the bench for a season-high 19 points, while senior forward Jordan Parks recorded his fifth double-double in the last six games with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The visiting Eagles shot just 7 of 20 from the foul line in the second half, but then recovered to make 7 of 9 in overtime. NCCU finished the night shooting 54.5 percent (24 of 44) from the free throw line, which is a season-low shooting performance from the charity stripe when attempting more than three free throws. (Eagles were 0-for-3 free throws at Creighton)
 
Raeford Worsham topped Jackson State (2-11) with 12 points, while Treshawn Bolden contributed 10 points.
 
The win is the third in-a-row by NCCU (9-5), including eight victories in the last 10 games, with the only losses during that time coming at No. 19 Maryland and at Memphis.
 
NCCU takes a week off before returning to the McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium hardwood on Dec. 29 to host IUPUI.