Aggies lose in the final seconds at Tip-Off Classic
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Matt Scott found Marvin Prochet underneath to lead Niagara to a 73-72 win over North Carolina A&T State in the Springfield Bracket of the 2015 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday afternoon.
Senior Bruce Beckford, the Aggies leading scorer and rebounder thus far this season, finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. Redshirt sophomore Sam Hunt came off the bench to score 14 points and dish out seven assists. Senior Ahmad Abdullah hit three of his four 3-pointers on the day and had 13.
The loss drops N.C. A&T to 0-5 over the early men’s basketball season. But fourth-year head coach Cy Alexander liked the improvement he saw from his team over two games in Uncasville.
Blackman led the Purple Eagles with 18 points and eight rebounds. Scott had 11 points and seven assists.
The Aggies will head to Blacksburg, Va., on Tuesday, Nov. 24 to face Virginia Tech in a 7 p.m., non-conference contest.
For complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com
NCCU Falls Late to LIU Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – North Carolina Central University led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but LIU Brooklyn rallied back and topped the Eagles by one point, 78-77 at the Barclays Center.
NCCU (1-2) found itself down early as LIU Brooklyn (3-0) jumped out to a 9-4 lead within the first six minutes. After a couple of free throws for the Eagles, Dante Holmes nailed a three to bring NCCU level at nine all. Holmes finished the game with a career-high 26 points.
Shortly after that, NCCU rattled off a 9-0 run to pull in front 20-12, and would hold on to the lead to the break, up 38-34.
Jamal Ferguson was also a major factor in the second half with 11 points, all scored after the break.
The Eagles responded by pulling back in front by four by way of a jumper from Dajuan Graf and a pair of free throws from Jay Copeland, but Joel Hernandez scored the next four points for LIU Brooklyn to make the game square again at 71.
NCCU tried to work the ball into the paint, but the Blackbirds stood firm and denied the shot opportunity, and the Eagles fell for the second time this season.
NCCU next takes on Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn. on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com