Box Score

SAVANNAH, GA. (NCCUEaglePride.com) – North Carolina Central University missed a golden opportunity against the surprising Tigers of Savannah State University dropping a 60-47 decision on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Arena in Savannah, Ga. after being held to just five field goals in the second half.
 
In this hotly contested ballgame, the Eagles and the Tigers went toe-to-toe early in the 12th matchup between these two programs.  With the game tied at 4, SSU went on a quick 5-0 spurt, all scored by point guard Preston Blackman after being fouled attempting a three-pointer followed by a layup giving the Tigers the early 9-4 advantage.
 
NCCU swung right back following a Nick Chasten three-pointer that puts him five points away from joining the 1,000-point club making the score 16-15 in favor of SSU with 12:21 to go.
 
Over the next eight minutes, foul trouble and an offensive cold spell by the Eagles saw the Tigers pull out front with a 15-4 run giving SSU the 31-19 lead with 4:14 left.
 
Savannah State took a 36-25 lead into the locker room.  NCCU went a dreadful 4-for-11 (36.4 percent) from the charity stripe to find itself down by double figures.
 
Both teams combined for 25 fouls in the first half with the Dominique Sutton (Durham, N.C.), Ray Willis (Atlanta, Ga.), Ebuka Anyaorah (Suwanee, Ga.), Justin Leemow (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.), and Tracy O’Neal (Aiken, S.C.) all saddled with two fouls.
 
In the second frame, the SSU defense put NCCU on lockdown, holding the maroon and gray to 5-for-15 (33.3 percent) shooting from the field and thwarted any rally attempt by head coach LeVelle Moton’s squad.
 
Every time the Eagles cut the deficit to single digits, Savannah State had an answer. 
 
With 18:20 to go in the game, Emanuel Chapman (Raleigh, N.C.) hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to cut the margin to eight at 38-30.
 
On the next possession, SSU’s Arnold Louis threw down a dunk to put the advantage back out to 10 at 40-30.
 
With the score sitting at 42-33, and 15:37 left, SSU’s Joshua Montgomery drilled a three-pointer from the right wing to put the Tigers back up by 12 at 45-33.
 
Following that play, Anyaorah and Ingram missed three consecutive shots from the outside as SSU went on to push the lead out to 16 at 50-34 with 9:45 left.
 
As the Eagles tried to claw back into the game, the Tigers were just too much in the end and SSU earned win no. 10 in-a-row, 60-47 over NCCU, who has now dropped two straight contests.
 
Sutton was the lone Eagle in double figures as he recorded 12 points and two rebounds in the loss.  SSU’s Arnold Louis led all scorers with 16 points off the bench.
 
Both teams combined for 51 fouls and 57 free throws in the contest.
 
As a team, NCCU was just 2-for-9 (22.2 percent) from three-point land, while the Tigers shot 18-for-33 (54.5 percent) from the field to push its home record to 13-1 on the season.
 
Savannah State (19-10 overall, 12-2 MEAC) has earned at least a spot in the top three in the league which promises a bye in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament in Winston-Salem, N.C. taking place March 5-10.
 
With the 75-72 win by Norfolk State over Bethune-Cookman, the Eagles could have found themselves in fourth place in the league.  Instead, NCCU is tied with Coppin State at 8-6 in the conference which places the maroon and gray in sixth heading into the final week of play.
 
NCCU (14-14 overall, 8-6 MEAC) will look to guarantee a winning season in the conference slate and end a two-game losing streak on Monday night, Feb. 27 at South Carolina State University at 7:00 from the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
Stay up-to-date with North Carolina Central University Athletics by flying over to www.NCCUEaglePride.com, the official website of NCCU Athletics.