DOVER, Del. – The North Carolina Central University men's basketball program showed no signs of rust following a 31-day lapse between games, and shot over 50 percent from the floor on the way to a 73-49 victory over Delaware State to start Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Memorial Hall.
 
NCCU (7-9, 1-0 MEAC) led for all but the first 37 seconds of the contest, and shot 51.2 percent as a team (21-41).  The Eagles set the tone by opening up a double-digit lead over DSU (2-13, 0-2 MEAC) in the first 10 minutes at 18-7, and took advantage at the free throw line over the course of the game.
 
The Eagles knocked down a season-high 28 free throws, the most since the quarterfinal round of the 2020 MEAC Tournament when NCCU also hit 28 free throws against DSU on March 11, 2020.  Randy Miller Jr. (Odenton, Md.) led NCCU at the line with 15 free throws, the most in a game for the Eagles since the 2013-14 season, and tied for the fifth-most in a single game.
 
Three Eagles combined for 59 points as Miller posted a game-high 22 points, Justin Wright (Greenville, N.C.) followed with his second 20-point game of his career, and Dontavius King (Greenville, S.C.) collected a season-high 17 points.  King and Kris Monroe (Raleigh, N.C.) pulled down a joint game-high seven boards, and Wright dished out a game-best five assists.
 
Of note, NCCU outscored DSU 30-16 in the paint.
 
NCCU will stay on the road to visit Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m.