Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. – The North Carolina Central University men's basketball team bolted out to a 43-15 halftime lead and cruised to win No. 14 in-a-row 81-62 over the Highlanders of NJIT on Tuesday evening inside the Fleisher Athletic Center.
 
The maroon and gray announced its presence with authority by storming out to a 21-5 lead with 13:32 to go, forcing NJIT's head coach Jim Engles to call the first of two first half time outs.
 
In fact, it took the Highlanders over 15 minutes to break double figures, doing so on two free throws by Montana Mayfield to make the score 36-11 with 4:36 left.
 
NCCU took a 43-15 lead into the locker room by shooting 14-for-22 (63.6 percent) from-the-field that also included 13-for-17 (76.5 percent) from the foul line.  The Eagles forced 13 NJIT turnovers and converted that into 21 points and outrebounded the Highlanders 17-9.
 
Senior Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.), who just earned MEAC Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season, picked-it-up where he left off scoring 16 points in the first frame, going 5-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 from three-point range.
 
NJIT shot a paltry 5-for-22 (22.7 percent) from-the-field, 1-for-12 (8.3 percent) from beyond-the-arc in the first frame.
 
With a 28-point lead in tow, the second half saw the maroon and gray lose focus, by turning the ball over 12 times, to go along with both teams being whistled for a combined 33 fouls, and attempting 53 free throws.
 
The Highlanders were able to cut the deficit below 20 points following three free throws by Damon Lynn to make it 52-33 with 13:17 to go, which prompted head coach LeVelle Moton to call a timeout to refocus his squad.
 
Over the final 13 minutes the Eagles put the Highlanders away slowly but surely on the way to the 81-62 win. 
 
Ingram led all scorers with 28 points, shooting 9-for-15 from-the-field, 2-for-3 from behind-the-arc, and 8-for-8 from the foul line.  Redshirt senior Ebuka Anyaorah (Suwanee, Ga.) scored 11 points in the second half for the maroon and gray, while senior Alfonzo Houston added 10 points.
 
NJIT (13-16) was led by Lynn who had to work hard to earn his team-high 24 points as he went 7-for-21 from-the-field, including a dismal 2-for-13 from three-point range. 
 
NCCU (22-5, 12-1 MEAC) has now won 44 games over the last two seasons, as the Eagles have tied for the most wins in the NCAA Division I era for the program.
 
The maroon and gray will return home for the final two contests inside McDougald-McLendon Gym for the 2013-14 regular season against South Carolina State on Saturday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m. as the Eagle nation will celebrate Senior Day.
 
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