DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central men's basketball team suffered its first home loss this season at the hands of rival North Carolina A&T, falling 69-54 on Saturday afternoon. NCCU struggled with multiple scoring droughts, allowing a second-half lead to slip away.
NCCU (3-8) had the lead for 22:35 of the game, with three ties and four lead changes. Khouri Carvey (10) and Dionte Johnson (12) were the only Eagles to score in double figures. Carvey grabbed seven rebounds while in foul trouble for the majority of the second half.
NC Central and North Carolina A&T would trade buckets in the early minutes of the game. After a 13-13 tie with 12:29 remaining, the Eagles went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead, which was their biggest run in the contest.
North Carolina A&T would cut into the lead following a three-minute scoring drought of its own. NCCU would get back into a groove, connecting on fastbreak opportunities from 14 first-half turnovers by the Aggies. This included a thunderous dunk by Kelechi Okworogwo, giving the Eagles a 17-7 advantage on fastbreak points.
The Eagles were almost perfect from the line, which helped increase the score, as they drained 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. NC Central was up 35-26 going into halftime.
NCCU found themselves in another scoring drought to start the second half. Gage Lattimore would get the Maroon and Gray going with a bank shot at the 17:12 mark, bringing the score to 37-34.
The rivals would find themselves tied again at 41 until Dionte Johnson snatched one of his seven steals for a fastbreak layup. Shortly after the Aggies started doing damage from the free throw line, as both teams found themselves in the bonus. Two of those free throws helped the Aggies break through to retake the lead, 47-46, with under ten minutes to go.
A five-point swing put North Carolina A&T up by six, forcing a timeout by NC Central's head coach, LeVelle Moton. The Eagles executed right out of the timeout, scoring two field goals to cut the lead to two points. That would be the closest NCCU would come.
The Aggies stretched the lead to 19 as the Eagles went the final 7:37 without a field goal. NCCU forced 21 turnovers, but North Carolina A&T had a 12-4 advantage in second-chance points and shot 26 free throws in the second half, making 21.
"Second half, we come out; we don't make our layups, we don't make our free throws and that's the difference in the ball game," said Moton. "We didn't have our best night just shooting the basketball. When the ball don't go in the hole, it takes the morale and energy out."
As alluded to by Moton, the ball wouldn't fall for NC Central as the Maroon and Gray went 4-of-26 from the field in the second half and were outscored 43-19 in the final 20 minutes.
North Carolina A&T's Lewis Walker finished with a game-high 18 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Aggies outrebound the Eagles 49-31.
NC Central hits the road again, facing 18th-ranked Kentucky in Lexington at Rupp Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The Eagles take on the Wildcats at 7 p.m. and can be watched on the SEC Network.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
