Score: Morgan State 79 | North Carolina Central 72
Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
Records: Morgan State 8-15, 4-3 | N.C. Central 13-9, 5-2
The short story:  Will Thomas had a game-high 23 points to lead five Bears in double-figures as they posted 79-72 overtime win over North Carolina Central on Monday night at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 

OPENING TIP

• Redshirt-junior Will Thomas, fresh off a career-high 28 point night at South Carolina State, finished with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field in 40 minutes. He also had nine rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots. 
• Amahrie Simpkins finished with 15 points (6-14 FG) with six rebounds and two steals. Kamron Hobbs scored 14 points and connected on 5-of-12 shots, including three 3-pointers and had seven rebounds and six assists. 
• Junior 6-foot-10 forward Allen Udemadu collected his fifth double-double of the season as he finished with 10 points (5-11 FG) and was tenacious on the glass with 14 rebounds to go along with two blocks.  Rob Lawson chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes.
• Junior guard Keishon Porter led the Eagles with 17 points (6-9 FG), including four rebounds and two blocks in 42 minutes.
• Senior guard Fred Cleveland Jr. added 12 points (4-12 FG), eight rebounds and a game-high eight assists in 45 minutes. Devin Gordon and Perry Smith Jr. finished with 10 points apiece… Smith also led the Eagles with 10 boards.
   
  

THE DIFFERENCE

• Morgan connected on 41.6 percent (32-77) of their shots from the field and was 7 of 21 from behind the arc, while the Eagles shot 40 percent from the field and connected on 7 of 20 (.350) 3-pointers. Morgan shot .667 (8-12) from the free throw line, compared to the Eagles' .550 percent (11-20).
• Morgan outrebounded the Eagles by a 47-44 margin.
• The Eagles held the lead for 64 percent of the contest.
• Morgan scored 14 points off of forcing 10 NCCU turnovers.
• The teams exchanged leads during the early going before Keishon Porter hit a 3-pointer to help ignite an 11-5 run. A layup by Timmy Adedire gave the Eagles a 22-15 lead with 10:10 left in the first half.
• The Bears closed out the half outscoring the Eagles 8-1 and finished the first half of play with just two turnovers. 
• The Bears opened the second half with a 7-2 spurt and Will Thomas finished with a layup to give the Bears a 38-36 lead.
• The teams went 7 minutes straight before the first timeout was called in the second half. NCCU led a 47-46 with13:06 remaining.
• Will Thomas scored deep on the block and Allen Udemadu added a basket inside the paint as part of an 8-2 run to put the Bears up 54-51.
• Ahmahrie Simpkins hit a contested baseline jumper to give the Bears a 58-53 lead, but the Eagles responded when Devin Gordon hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 58-56.
• The game was tied 63-63 with 90 remaining when Gordon hit a mid-range jumper to help the Eagles retake the lead at 65-63.  
• Simpkins scored on a layup from the left baseline to time the game at 65. The Eagles called a timeout with 32.5 remaining in regulation. 
• The Bears came up with a big defensive stop when Ja'Darius Harris had his jumpshot blocked by Rob Lawson with just under 20 seconds to go.  Morgan called a timeout with 14 seconds left to draw up a play.  Off the timeout, Lawson drove into the paint but his layup attempt rimmed out to send the game into overtime.
• In overtime, Emmanuel Izunabor split a pair of free throws and then Keishon Porter scored on a fast break to give the Eagles a 68-65 lead with 3:52 remaining.
• Will Thomas hit a jumper and a pair of free throws to help the Bears retake the lead at 69-68 — it marked the first time NCCU was trailing in the extra frame. Thomas stepped up on the defensive end where he grabbed his ninth rebound and hit Lawson on an outlet pass for a layup to give the Bears a 71-68 lead with 2:21 remaining.
• Kamron Hobbs buried a deep step-back 3-pointer in front of the Bears bench, followed a possession later by a 3-point dagger by Thomas to extend the lead to 77-71. Rob Lawson hit two free throws in the finals seconds and  at the end of the game and the Eagles hit a free throw to make the final score 77-72. 

NOTABLE

• Monday's contest marked the 98th meeting between the schools ... The Eagles lead the series 56-42... As a Division I member, NCCU now leads the series against Morgan 12-3.
• Morgan is on a 2-game winning streak and have won four of their last five games.
• Morgan improved to 2-0 in overtime games -- their last overtime win was Jan. 20 at Coppin State (89-86).
• The Bears improved to 3-10 in road games and 3-2 against MEAC opponents on the road.
• Thomas' 23 points marked the seventh game he has scored 20 or more points this season.
• NCCU had its 3-game winning streak snapped by the Bears.  

UP NEXT
The Bears return to action on Saturday, February 17 when they host the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks inside Hill Field House. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m.

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.