Eagles Drop Bulldogs on Senior Night

DURHAM, NC – North Carolina Central University (15-14 overall, 8-5 MEAC) made sure that the fans at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium to not go home disappointed.

Behind Sophomore Guard Justin Wright’s (FarmVille, NC) 24 points and 12 points and 12 rebounds from Redshirt Junior Eric Boone (Lexington, KY) helped the Eagles close out the regular season with a 67-62 victory over the South Carolina State University Bulldogs (15-15 overall and 7-7 MEAC).

Prior to the game, NCCU (15-14, 8-5 MEAC) recognized both Nicolas Fennell (Bowie, Md.) and Randy Miller Jr. (Odenton, Md.) as they played their final game at home.  Combined, the two players accounted for 161 games played, 114 games started, and 1,297 points scored.

NCCU Senior Forward Kris Monroe (Raleigh, NC) opened the game with a jumper, with the Eagles leading 2-0 at 19:40 in the 1st Half. He would later convert only one of two free throws, to put the Eagles ahead at 3-0 with 18:37 remaining.

South Carolina State got on board when Sophomore Guard Omer Croskey made a layup with 18:07 remaining, followed by a three-point jumper assisted by Freshman Guard TJ Madlock (Memphis, TN), which made the score 7-3, with 16:36 remaining.

The Eagles would later go on an 8-0 run, thanks to baskets by Redshirt Junior Guard Eric Boone (Lexington, KY) and Redshirt Senior Guard Randy Miller, Jr. (Odenton, MD).

The Bulldogs would experience a 6-0 run, thanks to baskets by Sophomore Guard Rahsaan Edwards (Charles Town, WV) and free throws from TJ Madlock.

SC State led at the Half by the score of 33-25.

During the second half, North Carolina Central turned it up a notch. During 19:43, Justin Wright opened the half with a layup and a free throw, where the Eagles trailed 33-28. Afterwards, South Carolina State responded thanks to a three-pointer from Rahsaan Edwards, assisted by TJ Madlock, where the Bulldogs were up 36-30 with 18:44 remaining.

At 10:47 of the second half, Kris Monroe made a jumper, to pull NCCU ahead for good, by the score of 50-47. Justin Wright scored all 24 points in the half. The Eagles shut the door at the conclusion of the half, thanks to free throws from Wright and Monroe.

For South Carolina State, TJ Madlock led the way with 23 points, while Rahsaan Edwards had 13 points and Freshman Forward Jemel Davis (Charlotte Amalie, VI) had eight.

For North Carolina Central, they’re the seventh seed, so match up against second-seeded Norfolk State at 2PM, on Wednesday, March 9th at the MEAC Tournament in the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA. For South Carolina State, they’re the fifth-place team, as they play on Thursday, March 10th against fourth-seeded Morgan State at 6PM in the same building on the same occasion.