BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – A potential game-tying floating jump shot at the buzzer missed its mark in a narrow 72-70 non-conference road loss for the North Carolina Central University men's basketball team at Gardner-Webb University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Eagles erased a nine-point deficit over the final five minutes and took a brief one-point lead on a made free throw by senior Eric Boone with 31.7 seconds left in regulation.
 
On the ensuing possession by the hosts, junior DQ Nicholas made a driving layup while being fouled for what proved to be the game-winning basket. Nicholas made the and-1 free throw to put Gardner-Webb ahead by two with 15.5 ticks showing on the clock. 
 
After an NCCU timeout, junior Justin Wright drove down the right lane and took a floating runner that bounced off the iron as time expired.
 
Gardner-Webb (4-7) improved to 2-1 at home and avenged a 58-53 loss the Eagles on Nov. 26. NCCU (5-7) dropped its second two-point road loss of the month to remain winless on the road at 0-7. It was the fourth time the two non-conference programs have played each other over the past 13 months with the home team winning each time to split the game 2-2, including three contests decided by five or less points.
 
NCCU senior forward Brendan Medley-Bacon recorded team-best totals of 19 points, seven rebounds and one block. His 19 points is a new season-high point total.
 
Senior guard Marque Maultsby bucketed 15 points and Wright followed with 12 points.
 
NCCU's other two starters in seniors Eric Boone and Kris Monroe were held to five and four points, respectively, but Boone led all players with seven assists and Monroe came up with a game-high four steals.
 
Maultsby drove in for a quick layup on the first play of the game and then he hit two consecutive 3-pointers a few minutes later to provide NCCU with its largest lead of the day at 10-3. Gardner-Webb would then outscore the Eagles 37-20 for the rest of the half to take its largest lead of 10-points at the intermission.
 
Maultsby and Medley-Bacon each connected on four of their six shot attempts in the half for 11 points apiece. However, the rest of the team went just 2 for 16 (12.5%) from the field over that span, allowing the Runnin' Bulldogs to pull ahead to their 40-30 advantage at halftime.
 
Gardner-Webb led throughout the first 19 minutes of the second half. NCCU used its late 14-4 run to pull ahead for its fleeting one-point edge in the final minute. Maultsby scored two consecutive layups to knot the score during the run before it was capped by the go-ahead free throw by Boone.
 
Nicholas netted his game-winning, three-point play 16 seconds later to finish with 15 points. Sophomore Caleb Robinson led the victors with 16 points while senior Kareem Reid matched Nicholas with 15 points.
 
NC Central will next put its 5-0 home record on the line when the Eagles host The Citadel inside McDougald-McLendon Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
 
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.