NCCU DEFEATS MONARCHS IN OVERTIME, 76-69
NORFOLK, VA—ODU red-shirt junior Dimitri Batten (Newport News, VA.) scored a career high tying 25 points and a career high 10 rebounds, but North Carolina Central (6-1) defeated Old Dominion, 76-69 in overtime Tuesday night at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The Monarchs fall to 4-4.
Down by 13 at halftime and by as many as 14 (48-34) with 16:00 left in regulation, ODU roared back to outscore the Eagles, 22-8 and take a 57-56 lead on a layup by Aaron Bacote (Hampton, VA.). ODU held NCCU to just 20 points in the second half, while scoring 33.
In the second half, the lead changed four times. Jordan Baker (Hampton, VA.) put the Monarchs up 61-58 after two free throws, but Karamo Jawara nailed a trey with 3:18 left to tie the game at 61-61. Jawara then came back to score on a layup to give NCCU a 63-61 lead. The Monarchs came back to tie the score on Batten’s driving layup at 63-63 with 1:35 left. NCCU missed a couple of shots late and the Monarchs played for a last shot, but Batten’s 12-footer rimmed out and the Eagles could not get another shot off.
In the overtime, ODU took the lead at 65-63 on a Batten layup, but Jawara hit a three-pointer for a 66-65 lead. After an ODU miss, Reggie Groves scored to make it 68-65, then Jay Copeland got a break a way layup to put NCCU up 70-65. Keenan Palmore’s (Stone Mountain, GA.) basket cut the lead to three, 70-67, but Jawara hit two free throws, and Jordan Parks scored to put the Eagles up nine, 76-67 before Batten’s final basket for a 76-69 decision.
Joining Batten in double figures were Keenan Palmore with 13 points and four assists, while Aaron Bacote added 12 points, three assists and six rebounds. ODU outrebounded the Eagles, 40-35 with Batten leading the way with 10, followed by freshman Denzell Taylor (Ontario, Canada) with seven and Richard Ross (Wichita Falls, TX.)and Aaron Bacote with six each.
NCCU, who beat NC State last week had four players in double figures led by Alfonzo Houston with 16, followed by 14 points each from Karamo Jawara, Jeremy Ingram and Jordan Parks. Emanuel Chapman dished out nine assists.
The Eagles shot .517 (31-60) from the floor (.654 17-26 in the first half), while ODU shot .446 (29-65) from the field.
The Monarchs return to action Sunday afternoon in Richmond, Va. when they take on archrival VCU at 1:30 p.m.