| Statistics | 1 | 2 | OT | Total |
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Monday evening was a battle of two of the best MEAC teams. Norfolk State came out on top, handing North Carolina Central a 79-67 loss. The Spartans got off to a good start, going into halftime with a 39-28 lead. They then continued to outscore the Eagles 40-39 in the second half to come away with the victory. For the second year in a row, Norfolk State is the MEAC regular season champions.
Camille Downs scored 25 points while recording five assists to lead the way for Norfolk Statek. As a team, the Spartans shot 49% from the field, 29% from behind the arc, and 81% from the free throw line. The advanced stats told a similar story, as the team put up 1.02 points per possession on 56% true shooting.
Kira Lowery scored 18 points while Aniya Finger added another 12 to lead the way for North Carolina Central. As a team, the Eagles struggled to get things going offensively, scoring just 0.83 points per possession on 34% shooting from the field. Those numbers include 14-of-35 on two-pointers, 6-of-23 on three-pointers, and 21-of-28 on free throws.
These teams will have little time to prep for their next test, as each plays next on March 2. Norfolk State takes on Howard in a conference clash, while North Carolina Central faces a South Carolina State squad recovering from a loss of its own. The Spartans will look to continue their road success. On the other side, the Eagles hope for a rebound performance on the road.
This content was produced using Artificial Intelligence technology before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday. Sam Quick is a moniker for our AI technology and is not an actual person.