NC Central Men’s Basketball Cruise to 123-57 Win Over Warren Wilson College

DURHAM, NC – The North Carolina Central University Eagles Men’s Basketball team defeated the Warren Wilson College Owls 123-57 in their 2018-19 home opener to capture their first win of the season.

On the Eagles’ first possession of the game, they had an unforced turnover by senior forward Zacarry Douglas. The Eagles played a full court 2-2-1 press on defense to start the game to speed up the Owls. Their defensive pressure caused the Owls to take rushed shots early in the shot clock. At the first media timeout, the Eagles were up 12-5 with 15:18 left in the first half.

Coming out of the timeout, the Owls settled down and junior forward, Jaquann Lockhart, made a 2-point basket. Eagles redshirt senior guard ,Julian Walters, subbed into the game with 13:37 left in the half and provided a spark off the bench. Walters came up with two steals in his first 1:35 of play. The Eagles were up 21-10 going into the second media timeout at the 11:49 mark of the first half.

Then the Eagles went on a dry spell. At the 9:22 mark the Eagles had went scoreless in the last 1:42 of the game and shot 1-4 on their last four field goal attempts. This shooting slump made it a single-digit game. However, the Eagles’ shooting woes were ended by a forceful dunk by redshirt junior center, Raasean Davis, and a 3-pointer on the following possession by redshirt senior guard/forward Larry McKnight Jr.

The Eagles continued this momentum through great team play on both ends of the court. Going into the last media timeout of the first half, The Eagles were up 39-23 on the Owls with 3:58 left in the half.

“I can’t actually recall,” Eagles head coach LaVelle Moton said when asked about what he told his team in the last media timeout of the first half. “But anytime you’re in my huddle, it’s probably me challenging them to do something that they were currently not doing.”

Whatever Moton told his players inspired them to finish the half strong. The Eagles continued their ways and scored points on their first five possession. At Halftime the Eagles were winning 51-30. Still Moton wanted more from his team.

“First half, I wasn’t pleased with some of our defensive mishaps,” Moton said. “Our overall energy, I thought we came out a little too cool. (The Owls) took advantage and capitalized. We have to learn that you can’t just show up and defeat a team. You have to respect all opponents.”

At halftime, an Owls team that came in to today’s game averaging 89.7 points per game shot 13-30 (43.3%) from the field and 4-13 (30.8%) from the 3-point line.

“We just told our guys to get up and guard the 3-point line,” Moton said. “Make (the Owls) take contested twos. The most difficult thing about that is when they shoot long shots, it’s gonna be long rebounds. So we weren’t rebounding the ball at a high level like we supposed to in the first half. Second half, I thought we minimized them to one shot.”

Coming into today, Owls junior guard, Jordan Gant, was averaging 21.7 points per game. The Eagles held Gant to scoring all eight of his points on the day in the first half.

“We just wanted to run Gant off the 3-point line,” Moton said. “He’s a really good basketball player and just make him take some contest twos and that was pretty much the game plan.”

In the second half, the Eagles kept pressuring the Owls on both ends of the court. With 18:30 left in the second half, Davis scored a layup to register a double-double on the day. Davis finished the day as the game’s leading scorer and rebounder with 23 points from 11-14 shooting and 15 rebounds.

“Honestly, I can’t take any of the credit,” Davis said when asked about his performance today. “I give credit to the guards, as I said it before, I don’t rebound and bring it up the floor. So anytime I get shot attempts, or anything like that, it’s because the guards are giving me the ball.”

The most electrifying Eagles’ scoring run came midway through the second half. Sophomore guard, Reggie Gardner Jr., made four consecutive 3-point baskets. Gardner’s scoring exposition was capped off with an and-one play by junior guard/forward, John Guerra, with 11:49 left in the game. The Eagles were up 89-37.

At this point, the Owls had lost their aggressiveness they started the game with and the Eagles continued to run away with the lead. With 3:03 left in the game, Eagles’ redshirt freshman, Nicolas Fennell, made a 3-pointer. With that shot, every Eagles player who played scored. Owls Junior Guard, Trey Brown, scored a 3-pointer for the final basket of the day which made the final score 123-57 in favor of the Eagles.

Today’s 123 point total for the Eagles tied the school record for highest points scored in a game.

“I wish I would’ve known,” Moton said . “I would’ve tried to get another point to break it.”

The Eagles finished the game shooting 44-70 (62.9%) from the field and 17-28 (60.7%) from the 3-point line. Moreover, the Eagles had six different players with double-digit scoring figures.

“I just feel like, when we trust each other and we have faith in each other, we’re able to move the ball,” Eagles’ redshirt senior guard, Rashann London, said. “ We’re able to be effective and showcase and I feel like that’s a better style for us.”

What’s Next

The Owls (3-5, 0-0 EMAC) have a road matchup against Mars Hill University on November 20.

The only troublesome stat line for the Eagles (1-3, 0-0  MEAC) today was their 18 turnovers. This will need fixing as they travel to Fairfax, Virginia to play George Mason University in their second matchup of the Emerald Coast Classic on November 20.