North Carolina Central defeated UMES by a score of 87-81 at Scope Arena on Wednesday evening. The Eagles got out to a 40-37 lead by halftime, and then came out and outscored the Hawks again in the second half to come away with the victory.
NCCU’s win was spearheaded by a balanced scoring effort. Fred Cleveland Jr. led the scoring with 21 points, while Timmy Adedire and Po’Boigh King added 17 points each. The Eagles’ ability to generate opportunities at the charity stripe was crucial to their success. They drew 25 personal fouls on the defense, which led to 28 points (78% shooting) from the free throw line. The advanced analytics looked good as well. They racked up 1.19 points per possession on 60% true shooting.
The Hawks played well offensively in this one. They averaged 1.15 points per possession on 51% shooting from the field. Dionte Johnson led the charge, tallying 21 points. Devon Ellis also contributed, adding another 18 points.
- North Carolina Central committed five unforced turnovers (7% of possessions)
- UMES outscored North Carolina Central 36 to 24 in the paint
- Timmy Adedire led all game players in plus-minus with a +14
North Carolina Central earned a good win against a tough MEAC rival. NCCU awaits the winner of the Delaware State/South Carolina State quarterfinal in the Norfolk Scope Arena on March 15. UMES’s loss is a tough result given the momentum it was riding after beating Delaware State recently. The Hawks will have to look to rebound next season.
Gameday AI content is produced using Artificial Intelligence technology powered by Boost Sport before being approved and published by HBCU Gameday.