DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University seniors Jibri Blount (Pittsburgh, Md.) and Randy Miller Jr. (Odenton, Md.) both had career nights to help the Eagles past USC Upstate, 73-64, inside McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday, Nov. 11.
 
With the win, NCCU (1-1) secured their 10th-consecutive home-opening win.
 
The game started at a frigid pace, as it took nine minutes for either team to breach the 10-point barrier, and that was the first of back-to-back three-pointers from Ty Graves (Greensboro, N.C.) for the Eagles.  Once the Eagles found the net, they broke off a nine-point run on their way to a 13-point lead over Upstate (1-2), 22-9, with seven minutes remaining in the half.  Graves had an electric game for the Eagles as he accounted for 14 points with four treys.
 
The Spartans kept the pressure on the Eagles, but the home-side was able to go to the locker room with a 32-25 advantage, pushed by a first-half double-double from Blount of 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Miller also finished the half with 10 points for the maroon and gray.
 
NCCU took an early claim of the second half, and stretched the lead out to as many as 14 with the help of career games from Blount and Miller.  Blount registered his first double-double as an Eagle with career highs of 16 points and 19 rebounds, as he finished one rebound-shy from becoming just the eighth Eagle to record a 20-rebound performance since 1988.  Miller reached a career-high of 29 points as he connected five times from the perimeter, and was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line.
 
Upstate didn't allow the Eagles an easy finish to the game, as Byson Mozone (North Augusta, S.C.) poured in 15 points after the break for a team-high 17, including four three-pointers.  Mozone scored all 15 of his second-half points in the final seven minutes of the contest.
 
The Eagles did their job on the glass as they pulled down 45 rebounds, and out-rebounded the Spartans by 15, to help secure a 73-64 win to start the home schedule.
 
As a team, NCCU shot 50 percent from the floor (23-46), and from the perimeter (9-18), and knocked down 78.3 percent of their opportunities from the charity stripe (18-23).
 
The Eagles will now return to the road for a three-game stretch, starting on Friday, Nov. 15 at Akron.