| Statistics | 1 | 2 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday night was a battle of two of the best MEAC teams that went into overtime. North Carolina Central came out on top, handing Norfolk State a 76-74 loss. North Carolina Central went into halftime with a 40-20 lead, but Norfolk State wouldn’t go down without a fight, tying things up at the end of regulation. The Spartans couldn’t finish the job though, getting outscored 10-8 in overtime.
Justin Wright scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead the way for North Carolina Central. As a team, the Eagles shot 44% from the field, 31% from behind the arc, and 55% from the free throw line. The advanced stats told a similar story, as the team put up 1.06 points per possession on 52% true shooting.
The Spartans’ offensive efficiency was impressive despite the result. They averaged 1.01 points per possession on 56% true shooting. Kris Bankston led the way, putting up 29 points to go along with 12 boards. It wasn’t enough though, as Norfolk State was unable to gather the momentum to get past the Eagles.
Both teams face their next test on March 3. North Carolina Central catches South Carolina State after a loss in its last game, while Norfolk State squares off with Howard. The Eagles will look to keep their winning streak intact. On the other side, the Spartans will get a shot to recover from this loss.
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.