Wright Shines For Eagles in Moton’s 200th Win

DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina Central University men’s basketball head coach LeVelle Moton celebrated his 200th win in a big way, as the Eagles recorded a 102-50 victory over Carver on Thursday, Dec. 9 inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.

Moton is just the third men’s basketball coach at NCCU to reach the mark, and he sits with the third-most victories as an Eagle behind Floyd Brown with 251, and John McLendon with 239.

It took NCCU (4-7) a bit to get started, but once the Eagles did, they scored at a rapid pace. NCCU knocked down 61.3 percent (19-for-31) of its shots in the first half, and 53.8 percent (7-for-13) of its three-pointers. Justin Wright (Greenville, N.C.) led all scorers with 12 points at the intermission, and he reached that mark after scoring five points in three seconds in the waning moments of the first half.

Wright drew a foul that sent him to the line in the bonus, and then stole the following inbounds pass before he was fouled on the way to the rim to start a three-point play. Carver (0-14) did score the final points of the half when Bryson Scott (Rochester, N.Y.) hit a jumper inside the arc right before time expired to close the first 20 minutes with NCCU leading, 51-22.

NCCU continued to make over half of its shots in the second half, and shot 54.5 percent from the field to add on another 51 points on the way to a 102-50 final score.

Wright posted a game- and career-high 20 points as he reached that mark for the first time in his career, and tacked on seven assists, four steals, and four rebounds. Kris Monroe (Raleigh, N.C.) pulled down his double-double of the year with 16 points and 11 caroms, and Marque Maultsby (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 16 points and five boards as part of six Eagles to score in double-digits.

Dontavius King (Greenville, S.C.) nearly recorded a double-double in back-to-back games with 13 points and eight boards, and Randy Miller Jr. (Odenton, Md.) nailed three treys on the way to 13 points. Asanti Price (Columbia, S.C.) was active on defense as he swiped three steals, and added 11 points with two assists.

Cameron Knight (Lithia Springs, Ga.) paced Carver with 10 points in the second half on the way to a team-high 15 points, and Stephon Auguste (Lawrenceville, Ga.) followed with 10 points.

NCCU will return to the hardwood at home against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7:00 p.m. inside of McDougald-McLendon Arena.