VIDEO: Tolly Carr of @HBCUGameday with full coverage of historic night DURHAM, N.C. –
Jordan Parks and
Nimrod Hilliard each recorded double-doubles to lead North Carolina Central University to a 69-58 win over rival North Carolina A&T, as the Eagles celebrated an undefeated conference regular season for the first time in school history inside McDougald-McLendon Gym on Thursday night.
Parks collected game-highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds on 9-for-10 shooting from the floor, while Hilliard tallied 17 points and 12 assists for his second double-double of the season.
Anthony McDonald added 16 points, including three baskets from long distance.
NCCU (24-6, 16-0 MEAC) led by as much as 12 points in the second half, but the Aggies refused to let their rival pull away. The Eagles' advantage was 54-43 with 8:07 left when A&T scored seven straight points to trim the gap to four points.
With 3:42 remaining, the visitors cut the margin to just three points, 57-54, but
Dante Holmes knocked down a huge three-pointer followed by a jumper by Parks to provide some cushion.
The regular season ended with NCCU's two senior captains,
Karamo Jawara and Parks, connecting on an uncontested alley-oop reverse jam in the closing seconds of their final home game.
NC A&T (9-22, 6-10 MEAC) was topped by Bruce Beckford with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Ahmad Abdullah chipped in 16 points.
NCCU's home court win streak is now at 35 games, which ranks second in NCAA Division I behind Arizona. The Eagles' 34 straight victories against conference opponents is the longest in the nation.
NCCU enters the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play the winner of the Bethune-Cookman/Coppin State match-up on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. inside the Norfolk (Va.) Scope Arena.
