NC Central Drops First Game Of The Season

FAIRFAX, Va. – The North Carolina Central University men’s basketball team was plagued by early foul trouble falling 75-58 to George Mason University at the EagleBank Arena in Monday evening’s season opener.

Redshirt senior Isaac Parson and junior Josh Smith combined for 27 points to lead the Eagles. The majority of their points came from the charity stripe with Parson going a perfect 10-for-10.

The first set of starters on the floor for NC Central this season were juniors Perry Smith Jr., Po’Boigh King, Kelechi Okworogwo, Dionte Johnson and senior Keishon Porter. Smith Jr. scored the first bucket for the Eagles and of the game.

NCCU couldn’t get into its groove early on as two starters would have to sit just minutes into the game due to foul trouble. Smith Jr. was charged with two fouls in the opening minutes while Porter was assessed three before the 16-minute media timeout.

The Eagles picked up full court to pressure the Patriots and kept the game close only down 6-5 after five minutes of action. Shortly after, NCCU took the lead with an and-one play from King to go up by two.

After a pair of free throws from redshirt senior Floyd Rideau Jr. with 14:12 left in the first half, the Patriots would go on a 17-0 run with a score of 24-10.

Smith would end the drought right before the final media timeout of the half with two free throws and a layup for their first field goal in 11 minutes.

Scores from Parson, Rideau Jr. and Smith would wrap up the first half as the Eagles were down 32-22. Porter, Okworogwo and King each had three fouls and Smith Jr. had two with the team being charged with 14 first-half fouls. NC Central shot 17 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes.

Coming out of the half, the Maroon and Gray kept the game within 15 points before more foul trouble would hinder the game flow for NCCU. Porter picked up his fourth foul and King and Smith Jr. fouled out within minutes of each other before the 8-minute media timeout as the Patriots led 61-42.

After neither team hit a three-pointer in the first half, the Eagles had Rideau Jr., Smith and Parson get hot from beyond the arc. Parson would knock down some more free throws, but it wasn’t enough as NC Central dropped its first game of the season 75-58.

George Mason’s Darius Maddox led all scorers with 17 points. The Patriots outrebounded the Eagles 48-28.

NCCU looks to bounce back as the team returns home to host Gardner-Webb University on Friday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. in McDougald-McLendon Arena.