DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University will leave McDougald-McLendon Arena in good fashion after recording a 61-44 win over Savannah State University on Monday, Feb. 29.

The seniors for NCCU (12-17, 7-8 MEAC) played a big role in the win, as Dante Holmes (Baltimore, Md.) and Jeremiah Ingram (Detroit, Mich.) both dropped in 15 points.  Ingram pulled down a career-high 15 boards and became the first player to record 15 points and 15 rebounds in a game since Jordan Parks in 2013.

SSU (13-14, 8-7 MEAC) hit the board first and led for the opening two minutes, but the Eagles moved in front at the 15:40 mark in the first half and held the advantage for the rest of the game from there.

NCCU held the Tigers to just 18 percent shooting (4-22) in the first half, and clamped down to keep SSU from scoring for the final seven minutes of the half.  Patrick Cole (Newark, N.J.) was a spark for the Eagles in the first 20 minutes with seven points and six rebounds as NCCU was up 26-11 at the intermission.

While the first half didn't have much scoring, SSU reversed that trend at tripled their output after the break scoring 33 points to NCCU's 35.  Christopher Martin (Upper Marlboro, Md.) helped push the Tigers back into the game with a couple of big treys to start the half on his way to nine points, and Brian Pearson (Monroe, Ga.) ripped down a team-high total of 10 boards with five points.

Even with the pace picking up, the Eagles stretched the margin out to as many as 17 in the second period, the first time on a layup from Cole who finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.

NCCU held SSU to just 30.4 percent shooting from the floor, the second-lowest it has allowed a team this season after a 28.8 percent lockdown against the same Tigers in Savannah, Georgia on Jan. 11.

The Eagles close out the regular season at the Corbett Center against North Carolina A&T State University on Thursday, March 3, looking to even the season series.

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.