DURHAM, North Carolina -- Senior point guard Emanuel Chapman's (Raleigh, N.C.) five clutch points in the extra session gave North Carolina Central University the push it needed to beat Savannah State 64-57 in overtime and clinch the school's first conference title at the NCAA Division I level on Monday night inside McDougald-McLendon Gym.
The win clinches the No. 1 seed for the Eagles and automatically qualifies the maroon and gray for the NIT (National Invitational Tournament).
This contest paralleled a heavyweight boxing match with both teams throwing haymakers as both teams went back-and-forth through the first half with three ties and six lead changes.
NCCU broke open a 13-13 with 7:33 left to go on a 10-to-5 run that was highlighted by a Jordan Parks (Queens, N.Y.) dunk with 54 seconds left to see the Eagles take a 23-18 advantage into the locker room.
Both team's boast solid defenses and it showed through the first 20 minutes with neither team shot better than 33 percent, which includes the maroon and gray starting the game 0-for-8 from beyond-the-arc. The Eagles did however, force 11 Tiger turnovers, while NCCU coughed-it-up just four times.
The final half saw the Eagles score the first 10 points of the frame stretch the lead to 15 points at 33-18 with 16:49 to go, sending the lively crowd of 2,732 to their feet.
Savannah State took four minutes to score its first field goal in the second stanza, but never backed down. The Tigers went on a 23-7 run over a ten minute span, tying the game at 41-41 with 5:26 left on two Jyles Smith free throws.
With 3:59 left a Parks dunk and layup just a minute later gave NCCU a three-point cushion at 46-43 with 2:57 left, but SSU's Deven Williams drilled one of his four second half threes to tie the game up with 2:43 remaining.
Redshirt senior Ebuka Anyaorah drilled two free throws to put NCCU up 48-46 with 2:16 remaining and added one more free throw by Jeremy Ingram (Charlotte, N.C.) to make it 49-46 with 1:15 to go.
With the score 49-48 with 59 seconds left, Parks was fouled with 10 seconds left. After hitting one of two, Savannah State's Terel Hall scored on a runner in the lane to send the game to overtime tied at 50.
In the extra frame, trailing 52-50, the Eagles scored the next five points in the contest including Chapman's huge three-pointer to put the maroon and gray up 55-52 with 3:58 to go.
With the score 55-54, Chapman's jumper put NCCU up 57-54 and the Eagle defense clamped down from there in the 64-57 victory as the maroon and gray faithful in attendance charged the court in celebration of the school's first regular season conference title at the NCAA Division I level.
Savannah State (11-18, 9-6 MEAC) had three Tigers in double-figures led by Williams' 14 points on 4-for-4 shooting from deep, while Keierre Richards (12 points) and Jyles Smith (10 points) contributed in the loss. Smith recorded a double-double with 11 boards as well.
NCCU (24-5, 14-1 MEAC) also had three student-athletes in double figures as both Ingram and Parks had 17 points. Ingram shot 5-for-19 from the field, 1-for-9 from three-point range. Chapman's final line was 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals in the win.
Next up, for the MEAC's No. 1 seed the Spartans of Norfolk State University in the regular season finale for both teams. That contest is slated for 8:00 p.m. inside Joseph Echols Hall in Norfolk, Va.
Visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon for the latest on NCCU Athletics.
Box Score
Chris Hooks, Assistant Sports Information Director/Broadcast Media Coordinator
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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