DURHAM, N.C. – Senior guard Rashaun Madison (Norfolk, Va.) crushed six three-pointers to lift North Carolina Central University past Mississippi Valley State 86-79 on Thursday, Dec. 3 at McDougald-McLendon Arena.  That six trey performance is tied for 13th all-time in a single game at NCCU.

MVSU (0-9) bolted out of the gate and put the first eight points on the board over the first 1:20, led with treys by Damian Young (Grayson, Ga.) and Marcus Romain (Brooklyn, N.Y.).  NCCU (2-4) then mounted a 7-4 run to pull within five, but MVSU was able to stay in front and swell the lead to 14 at 23-9 with 12:03 to play in the first half.  Young led MVSU with 25 points and was followed by Romain with 22 points.

The Eagles steadily chipped away at the lead helped by Madison, who hit four of six three-pointers in the first twenty minutes.  It was the third of those that catapulted the Eagles into the lead for the first time at 32-31 with 2:11 to play in the half, and then the fourth provided separation as NCCU led 37-35 at the break.

The start of the second half followed the trend of most of the first period of play as both sides traded buckets, seeing the lead change hands seven times in the first five minutes.  During that timeframe Dante Holmes (Baltimore, Md.) scored nine consecutive points for the maroon and gray.  Holmes and Madison both put up 20 points each, and combined to nail 10 of 18 three-pointers. 

MVSU fought back to tie the game one more time at 58 with 11:03 to go, but another three from Madison helped the Eagles pull away for good.  While Holmes and Madison got the job done beyond the arc, Jeremiah Ingram (Detroit, Mich.) operated in the paint and managed a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards.

NCCU dives into conference play next as it hosts Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, Dec. 5.