Courtesy: Howard University
DURHAM, N.C. (January 29, 2022) — Graduate Kyle Foster (Hampton, Va.) scored a career-high 27 points, including the game-winning three-pointer, to lift the Howard University men’s basketball team over North Carolina Central (NCCU) in OT, 75-74. The Virginia product connected on a corner three with only two seconds left.
With the victory, HU (8-9, 2-2 MEAC) grabbed its second win during its four-game road swing while knocking off NCCU for the first time at McDougald-McLendon Arena since December 2015.
On the afternoon, Foster shot 10-of-12 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from long range, while recording a pair of steals.
HU held a double-digit halftime lead, 39-22, but North Carolina Central opened the period on a 7-0 run, capped off by a layup from Randy Miller, Jr., 39-29. Howard fought back, but NCCU continued to chip away at the deficit.
With more than eight minutes remaining, NCCU’s Justin Wright scored on a fastbreak layup and put the Eagles ahead, 48-47; thus, erasing a 24-point deficit.
North Carolina Central extended the margin to six after a three-point play from Eric Boone, 55-49, but the Bison refused to go away.
In the final five minutes, both clubs went back-and-forth and found themselves deadlocked at the end of regulation, 62-62.
With less than two minutes left in OT, NCCU held an eight-point advantage after a trey ball by Marque Maultsby, but the Bison had one-last run.
HU put the pressure on, led by five-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week freshman Elijah Hawkins (Washington). The D.C. native forced multiple turnovers, resulting in fastbreak points.
With 18 ticks remaining, Wright’s go-ahead layup gave the Eagles a two-point lead. In Howard’s final scoring possession, senior Deven Richmond (Bowie, Md.) grabbed a loose offensive rebound and found Hawkins for three, but he passed off to Foster in the corner for the win.
Redshirt sophomore Steve Settle, III (Glenarden, Md.) had 17 points, three boards, three blocks and three steals while Hawkins added nine points, seven dimes and a career-high seven steals in the victory.
Five Eagles scored double figures, led by Wright with 17 points. NCCU (8-10, 2-1 MEAC) suffered its first home loss of the season (4-1).
HU concludes its four-game road trip in Orangeburg, S.C., against South Carolina State. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.