NCCU Eagles Stay Hot against Morgan State

Attached photo courtesy of Juan Richardson

By JONATHAN DUREN

NCCU ASID

DURHAM, NC – North Carolina Central University is off to a 4-0 start in MEAC play for the first time since the 2014-15 season after picking up a 77-63 win over Morgan State on Monday, Jan. 15 at McDougald-McLendon Arena.

NCCU (10-8, 4-0 MEAC) had to fight in the early stages of the contest, as MSU (7-11, 3-2 MEAC) was able to get ahead by 10 seven minutes in, with an 18-8 advantage. The Eagles stayed the course, and rallied to take a lead at the 9:31 mark in the first half and held it for the majority of the game.

NCCU went on a 15-3 run in the closing moments of the first half to open up a 13-point lead, 37-24 with three minutes before the break, leading to an eventual 39-32 cushion at the half.

MSU again started the second half as ferociously as the first, as the Bears tied the game three times in the first five minutes. The Eagles stayed cool, and once again created separation on a 28-8 run to lead by as many as 20 at 71-51 with just under seven minutes left on the way to a 77-63 final.

Raasean Davis (Chicago, Ill.) picked up his fifth double-double of the year with 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Eagles, and Pablo Rivas (Colón, Panama) again scored in double-digits off the bench with 15 points. Jordan Perkins (Greensboro, N.C.) served up a joint game-high six assists with 12 points, and Larry McKnight, Jr. (North Miami, Fla.) put in eight points with five boards.

Tiwian Kendley (Harlem, N.Y.) put in a game-high 26 points with five boards, and Phillip Carr (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was close to a double-double with 10 points and seven caroms. Martez Cameron (Chicago, Ill.) had a full game with six assists, five rebounds and four points as well.

The Eagles will head out to visit Howard next, on Saturday, Jan. 20.