NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina Central University led Norfolk State wire-to-wire after opening the game with one of 11 made three-pointers to pick up its second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the season with a 72-57 victory at Echols Hall on Saturday, Jan. 14.
 
Dajuan Graf (Charlotte, N.C.) hit that first three, and then Rashaun Madison (Norfolk, Va.) chimed in with six treys for 18 points in his return to his hometown.  Madison knocked down at least six threes for the third time this season, and the fifth time in his career at NCCU.


NCCU (11-6, 2-1 MEAC) led NSU (4-13, 1-2 MEAC) by as many as 12 briefly in the first half, but the Spartans kept the Eagles close with help from a strong showing from Kerwin Okoro (Bronx, N.Y.) who finished with 21 points.
 
The first half ended with Graf hitting a deep two-pointer at the buzzer, and the Eagles rode that momentum to sprint ahead by as many as 14 in the second half.  NCCU went on to lead by double-digits for the remainder of the contest.
 
Patrick Cole (Newark, N.J.) cashed in a team-high 19 points with five rebounds and six assists, followed by Graf who had 14 points.  Kyle Benton (Long Beach, Calif.) was one point shy of his third double-double of the season with nine points and 12 rebounds.
 
Jonathan Wade (Panama City, Fla.) joined his teammate Okoro as the two main scorers for the Spartans with 20 points of his own.
 
NCCU next visits Hampton for a nationally televised game on ESPNU and WatchESPN, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.