North Carolina Central Eagles Capture MEAC Regular Season Championship against B-CU

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University clinched its third Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Regular Season title in the last four years by defeating Bethune-Cookman, 78-65 at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25 for Senior Day.

NCCU (22-6, 13-1 MEAC) will be the top seed in the upcoming MEAC Basketball Tournament in Norfolk, Virginia, and will play the winner between the eight- and nine-seed matchup on Wednesday night, March 8 at 6:00 p.m. at Scope Arena.



The first half went back and forth between the Eagles and B-CU (7-21, 4-10 MEAC), as the lead changed hands four times and the score was tied on five occasions.

Senior Del'vin Dickerson (Houston, Texas) had a strong start for NCCU as he put in eight points with four rebounds in the first half, but Diamante Lewis (Ocala, Fla.) was the driving force for the Wildcats with 10 points and five boards.

The Eagles really came alive in the second half, and expanded the lead to as many as 20 twice on the way to the eventual 15-point win. The seniors really led the charge for the maroon and gray, as Dickerson and Patrick Cole (Newark, N.J.) teamed up to produce the second tandem double-double this season. Dickerson finished with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Cole picked up 13 points with 11 assists on several flashy passes.

Rashaun Madison (Norfolk, Va.) knocked down five three-pointers on his way to 17 points and a joint game-high four steals, and Dajuan Graf (Charlotte, N.C.) made all 10 of his free throw attempts to collect 14 points and six assists. Kyle Benton (Long Beach, Calif.) was another big senior contributor with game-highs in blocks with four and rebounds with 13, and also put in six points.

Lewis finished with a team-high 17 points for the Wildcats with six rebounds and four assists, followed by Jeff Altidort (Coral Springs, Fla.) with 14 points, and Quinton Forrest (Windermere, Fla.) with 10 points and five rebounds.

The Eagles close out the home schedule on Monday, Feb. 27 against Savannah State at 7:30 p.m. before ending the regular season on Thursday, March 2 at North Carolina A&T.

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