Morgan State University Athletics

DURHAM, N.C. – Jeremy Ingram, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's leading scorer, posted a game-high 20 points, Maramu Jawara added 13 for North Carolina Central.

It all added up to the Eagles erasing a 13-point deficit to hold on and beat Morgan State 53-52 on Monday night before a packed house at McDougald-McLendon Gymansium.

With the win the Eagles solidified itself atop the Mid-Eastern Conference standings with a 5-1 record (14-5 overall) and extended its winning streak to six games.

Justin Black finished with 17 points for the Bears who came up short down the stretch for the second game in a row, having lost to N.C. A&T 68-67 in overtime on Saturday.

The Bears (6-12, 4-2 MEAC) held a 32-19 advantage after Blake Bozeman and Cedric Blossom scored a pair of baskets to open the second half.

The Eagles got the 13-point deficit quickly down to four by the 15 minute mark, and trailed 34-30 when   Ingram scored on a fastbreak layup to help the Eagles ride a 12-2 run before MSU's coach Todd Bozeman called a timeout to settle his team.

Morgan State responded by scoring the next seven points to rebuild a double-digit lead (41-30) by the 11 minute mark. But NCCU regained momentum in a big way with an 11-2 run.  Ingram hit a 3-pointer that helped the Eagles recapture the lead and he thrilled the crowd with a one handed dunk to give his team a 47-43 advantage with 4:26 remaining.

Ian Chiles (8 pts, 8 rebs) kept the Bears close in the final minutes scoring a basket and hitting a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 52-50. The Bears tied the game at 52 when Donte Pretlow raced down the floor and hit a jumper with 33 seconds to go.

The Eagles came out of the timeout and worked the clock down before taking a shot that missed badly as the horn sounded. But the game was not over.

Morgan's Shaquille Duncan was called for a foul against Karamo Jawara on a loose ball rebound. The officials adjusted the clock to display 1 second remaining in the game. Jawara stepped up and hit the first free throw, and missed the second on purpose. The Bears had .4 seconds left on the clock, but Thair Heath's inbounds pass sailed past Chiles as time expired.

Both teams struggled in the first half as a result of the defense employed by both teams.

K.J. scored a tip-in to give the Eagles a 15-14 lead, but then one burst changed everything.

MSU mounted a 14-2 run led by Justin Black (9 pts) to take a 28-17 lead with 3 minutes remaining in the first half. It was the largest lead of the night. The Bears defense clamped down on the Eagles who were held without a point until Ingram scored on a layup with under 2 minutes remaining in the half. Morgan State went into the locker room holding a 28-19 lead. 

Bear Notes

+ MSU was outrebounded by the Eagles 38-34

+ The teams combined for 35 turnovers (MSU 19, NCCU 16)

+ MSU shot 40 percent (18-44) from the field, while hold NCCU to 35 percent (19-53)

+ Justin Black was the only player to score double-figures for the Bears, and scored 14 in the 1st half

+ There were eight lead changes and the game was tied three times