DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University followed its big win over Maryland Eastern Shore with an equally as strong performance against Delaware State as the Eagles posted an 87-52 victory at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday, Feb. 11.
 
NCCU (12-13, 7-4 MEAC) posted another 50 percent shooting night as the Eagles made 32 of 64 attempts, marking the third time this season that the maroon and gray shot over 50 percent from the floor in back-to-back games.
 
The Eagles set the tempo early in the contest as they rattled off an 18-0 run over five minutes of play in the first half, holding DSU (4-20, 1-10 MEAC) silent for a full period of play in between media time outs.   NCCU shot 57.6 from the floor to open up a 49-30 lead after the first 20 minutes.
 
The Eagles tied together a strong offense with a stout defense in the second half as it allowed just one three-pointer from the Hornets, and held DSU to 23.5 percent from the floor during the period on the way to an 87-52 final.
 
Two Eagles barely missed double-doubles as Zacarry Douglas (Landover, Md.) led NCCU in scoring with a joint game-high 19 points with nine points, and Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) also came one board shy with 10 points and nine caroms.  Randy Miller Jr. (Odenton, Md.) nailed four triples for 14 points, and Jibri Blount (Pittsburgh, Pa.) filled the stat book with nine points, seven rebounds, and five steals.  Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) also posted a joint game-high six assists.
 
Kevin Larkin (Georgetown, Del.) was the only player to reach the double-double plateau in the contest as he finished with 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Hornets.  Pinky Wiley (Chesterfield, Va.) was strong at the point with eight points, five rebounds, and a joint game-high six assists as well.
 
As a team, the Eagles knocked down 10 or more three-pointers for the sixth time this year, and did so in consecutive games for the second time this campaign.  Also the 35-point margin of victory replaces the margin of 25 against MDES on Saturday, Feb. 9 as the fourth-largest this year, and the largest in league play since Jan. 23, 2017 at home against Howard when the Eagles won 74-39.
 
NCCU will next leave The Nest for the final weekend road trip of the regular season as it heads to Norfolk State on Saturday, Feb. 16 and Howard on Monday, Feb. 18.