Sports

Eagles Drop Road Contest to Hawkeyes

Thomas Tripp

IOWA CITY, Iowa – During the first half, the Eagles of North Carolina Central University (0-3), was keeping up with the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0), by trailing by five at the Half (49-44).

Thanks to Sophomore Forward Keegan Murray (Cedar Rapids, IA)’s 27 points and 21 rebounds, the Hawkeyes pulled away with the 86-69 victory in front of 9,132 fans in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Murray became the first Iowa player to grab 20 or more rebounds in a game since Greg Brunner grabbed 23 rebounds against Minnesota on January 18, 2006.

The Eagles scored the first basket at 19:39 in the first half, thanks to a layup by Redshirt Senior Guard Randy Miller, Jr. (Odenton, Maryland/Indiana State). The Hawkeyes followed it up thanks to a three-pointer by Senior Guard Jordan Bohannon (Marion, IA) at 19:14 in the first half.

The game was a tight affair during the first half, where there were eight lead changes. North Carolina Central took their last lead at 12:18 when they lead 20-19.

The Hawkeyes refused to let up, after they made a barrage of free throws, thanks to the stellar efforts of Bohannon and McCaffery. However, the Eagles kept close with them during the first half, thanks to the efforts of Randy Miller, Jr.

Jordan Bohannon (seven points) and Sophomore Forward Patrick McCaffery (Iowa City, Iowa) were solid contributors for the Hawkeyes. Bohannon had seven points, while McCaffery was second on the team with 15 points. The Hawkeyes received solid contributions from the bench by two Sophomore Guards – Tony Perkins (Indianapolis, IN) and Ahron Ulis (Chicago Heights, IL) with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Randy Miller, Jr. led the Eagles with 15 points while shooting 7-for-14 from the field. Marque Maltsby, the Junior Guard from Raleigh, NC – and a transfer from New Hampshire – followed it up by adding a dozen (12) points and eight assists.

The loss marks the Eagles being winless against the Hawkeyes in three meetings. Last year on November 25, 2020, they dropped a 97-67 contest. Their first meeting was on November 28th, 2009, when Iowa won 73-63. All three meetings were played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

North Carolina Central’s next game is against a fellow HBCU opponent – Alabama State Hornets – in Montgomery, Alabama’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome at 8:00 EST (7:00 CST). Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes host Alabama State on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, at 7:00 PM EST (6:00 CST) on the Big Ten Network. The Eagles will return home on Tuesday, November 23rd, against Warren Wilson College at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium, on their campus. The game will be at 7:00 PM EST.