PRINCESS ANNE, Md. –
Jordan Parks scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season to lead North Carolina Central University to a gritty 68-63 men's basketball road victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday night.
The win marks the fourth in-a-row for NCCU (5-3, 1-0 MEAC) and the first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference triumph of the season.
Parks' third double-double of his Eagles' career was aided by junior guard
Dante Holmes' 19-point performance, including 14 points in the critical second half. NCCU senior
Karamo Jawara chipped in nine points,
Anthony McDonald added eight points, and
Nimrod Hilliard distributed a game-high seven assists.
The Eagles ignored a hostile UMES crowd and proceeded to shoot 52.8 percent from the field (19 of 36) on the night, including 62.5 percent (10 of 16) in the second half. NCCU also converted 25 of 31 free throw attempts (80.6 percent), including 16 of 21 after intermission.
On the other side, UMES (3-7, 0-1 MEAC) connected on 20 of 49 shots from the field (40.8 percent) and 16 of 25 attempts (64.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
UMES held a 23-22 advantage with 4:22 left in the opening stanza, but the visiting Eagles closed the half on an 8-4 run, capped by a Parks' buzzer-beater, to provide NCCU with a 30-27 cushion heading into the locker room.
In a second half that had three ties and six lead changes, the host Hawks took a 49-48 lead on a three-pointer by Devon Walker with 7:38 remaining. The Eagles answered with a long-distance triple by McDonald, followed by back-to-back two-handed slams by Parks, to put NCCU back on top 55-49 at the 5:28 mark.
UMES managed to trim the deficit to two points at 58-56 with 2:02 left, but NCCU received consecutive baskets by Holmes and the Eagles made all six free throws down the stretch to seal the conference road victory.
NCCU returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 7, when the Eagles play Howard University in the "Big Apple Classic" inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., following the 3 p.m. event-opener between Virginia State and Virginia Union.
