CONWAY, S.C. – North Carolina Central University gave Coastal Carolina all it could handle after rallying to tie the game multiple times after trailing by double-digits in the second half, but the Chanticleers held off the Eagles for a 69-65 win at the HTC Center on Sunday, Dec. 16.
 
NCCU (4-8) got off to a slow start to the game, but the Eagles pulled together to take a 22-21 lead briefly after trailing CCU (6-5) by as many as nine.  The Chanticleers quickly recaptured the advantage and were able to take a 32-25 lead to the intermission.
 
The second half followed a familiar trend as for the third time in the last four games, NCCU found itself in a tough situation in the second half as the Eagles trailed CCU but as many as 14.  The Eagles were able to ignite a 13-0 run to level the game at 56 with eight minutes remaining to set up a back-and-forth finish to the contest.
 
As part of that lengthy run, the Eagles at one point made nine consecutive field goals with both Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) and Jibri Blount (Pittsburgh, Pa.) contributing six points over the course of a 23-9 run.  The Eagles were able to tie the game multiple times in the late stages, but the Chanticleers made their last 12 free throws to hold off a maroon and gray surge, and grab a 69-65 win.
 
Davis had a career day for the Eagles with a career-high eight steals, matching the mark from earlier in the season by Nicolas Fennell (Bowie, Md.) against Christendom for second-most in the Division I era and third-most all time in a single game.  Davis also added a game-high 15 points, four rebounds and two blocks.  Blount finished with 13 points, as did Julian Walters (Madison, Wis.) who knocked down three treys with game-highs in rebounds with six and assists with four.
 
Zac Cuthbertson (New Bern, N.C.) was the go-to guy for the Chanticleers with a game-high 23 points, along with five boards and four assists on his ledger.  David Kralj (Ljubljana, Slovenia), Trevion Brown (Tacoma, Wash.), and Ajay Sanders (Greenville, N.C.) all added 10 points each for the hosts.
 
NCCU will finish off its four-game road trip and will play its third game in six days on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at Saint Louis.  After that, the Eagles will have a break for the holiday before closing the nonconference season at home against Wilberforce on Dec. 30 at McDougald-McLendon Arena.