Foster Helps Howard Bison Drain NCCU Eagles in OT
DURHAM, NC — North Carolina Central University (8-10 overall, 2-1 MEAC) must’ve had a rough evening (Jan. 29). First, there was a clock malfunction, then they trailed big, as they were down by as many as 24 points with five minutes remaining in the first half, only to battle the visiting Howard Bison (7-9 overall, 1-2 MEAC) – from Washington, DC- to an extra session.
“Hats off to Howard’s play,” Coach Moton explained on the Bison’s victory. He added, “They came out and jumped on us. They followed up and they executed for the most part. We had 25 turnovers. You can’t beat a team with that amount. We’re throwing the ball away too much.”
Overtime was when graduate student Kyle Foster, a guard from Bethel, Virginia, drained a game-winning three to help the Bison defeat the Eagles by the score of 75-74. That shot silenced the crowd at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium, on the campus of North Carolina Central University. He led the Bison with 27 points.
Howard dominated the game throughout the first half, as they took a 39-20 lead at the Half.
The second half was when NCCU took control. Thanks to 18-4 and 9-2 runs, as well as the Bison going through a period, where they failed to convert on 10 of 11 shots, the Eagles made things interesting as they trailed 42-38, with 11:44 remaining. Sophomore Guard Justin Wright (Farmville, NC), scored on a layup, which the Eagles took the first lead of the ballgame, 44-42, with 7:22 remaining in the second half. Wright finished the game with 17 points.
After Wright’s layup, NCCU went on a 9-2 run, where Redshirt Senior Guard Nic Fennell (Bowie, MD), hit a three-pointer during 6:35 in the second half. It was three of his four points of the night.
The game was a battle throughout the remainder of the game when there were five lead changes. It was a physical game throughout the contest. The game tied at 62, when Freshman Guard Elijah Hawkins (Washington, DC) converted one of two free throws for Howard, which sent the game into overtime.
Dontavius King opened the overtime period with a layup, with 4:42 remaining, as the Eagles led 64-62. After King’s layup, Junior Guard Marque Maltsby (Raleigh, NC) made an assist to Redshirt Senior Guard Randy Miller, Jr. (Odenton, MD), for a layup to help the Eagles be in front, with the score 66-62, with 3:27 remaining in overtime. After that, Redshirt Sophomore Forward Steve Settle, III (Glenarden, MD), made a layup for Howard, when they trailed 66-64. Then, Justin Wright inflated the lead by five, when he drilled a three-pointer, with 2:32 remaining in OT.
The Howard Bison capitalized on the Eagle’s mistakes, thanks to three free throws from Hawkins and a jumper from Kyle Foster.
On the Eagles’ struggles, Moton commented, “Nobody cares about our problems. We just have to come back and it was dishonorable. We have to regroup and take this as a learning lesson.” The Eagles had three players who hadn’t practiced in a month, due to COVID-19.
The Eagles return home on Monday Night against Norfolk State, in a 9 PM contest that will be televised on ESPNU. The Howard Bison, on the other hand, will travel down to Orangeburg, SC, to take on the Bulldogs of South Carolina State, in a 7:30 PM contest.
Feature image: Doug Burt