Campus Echo StaffN.C. Central cruised to a dominant 123–67 win over Toccoa Falls on Tuesday, fueled by a fast start and efficient shooting.
The Eagles opened the game on a dominant run, shooting 61% from the field and scoring 64 first-half points. They finished the half 22-for-36 overall, 45% from three and 78% at the free-throw line. NCCU kept the pressure on after halftime, shooting 50% from the field, 38% from deep and 76% from the line in the second half for a total of 59 points in the half.
The Eagles attacked the paint all game, scoring 58 points inside and forcing 27 Toccoa Falls turnovers to lead to 44 points. The team also showed their speed and depth, scoring 37 fastbreak points and 49 points from the bench.
Gage Lattimore led the way with 21 points, shooting 50% from the field, 57% from three and 100% at the line. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists.
Jonathan Dunn was a big part of the Eagles dominance, scoring 20 points on 8-for-8 shooting. He also shot 66% from the free throw line and brought down six rebounds. Khouri Carvey owned the paint with 17 points on 88% shooting, and brought down four rebounds of his own.
Dionte Johnson chipped in six points but made his biggest impact as a distributor, finishing with 12 assists.
After the win, head coach Levelle Moton said the crowd played an important part in the Eagles’ win, and gave a team that’s relatively new to NCCU a feeling of what the Eagle fanbase is like. He also told the players that they have a short window to enjoy the win, but it’s back to business soon after.
“The guys have 24 hours to enjoy this win before we have to go up to Dayton and play a top opponent,” Moton said. “So enjoy it, but after 24 hours, get your head right for Dayton.”
The Eagles travel to Dayton, Ohio, this Saturday to face the Flyers. Tip-off will stream on ESPN+.
Women’s Basketball
N.C. Central women’s basketball kept hopes high despite a 75-60 home loss to the College of Charleston on Tuesday night, falling to 1-3 on the season.
“This team beat us by 30 last year, and I knew it wasn’t gonna be 30 today,” NCCU head coach Terrence Baxter said. “But I don’t want to keep coming to these interviews saying, ‘If we do this, if we do that…’ We gotta start getting [the job] done.”
The Lady Eagles were coming off their first win of the season against UNC Asheville and managed to keep pace with undefeated Charleston in the first half, trailing by four at halftime (38-34).
But poor decisions, bad passes, and 25 turnovers turned a close game into a lost one.
“[We don’t have] confidence in the moment,” Baxter said. “We spend a lot of time turning people over, and then we’ll get the ball and give it right back to them, or we’ll blow a layup because we’re in a hurry.”
The disparity was evident at the free-throw line. The Cougars made 22 of 27 free throws off 23 fouls drawn, while the Eagles made just one of four attempts and drew only 13 fouls.
Despite the pitfalls, four Lady Eagles reached double figures. Graduate forward Morgan Callahan scored 10 points, while junior guard Aysia Hinton posted a team-high 12, fueled by four made 3-pointers (44% from deep). Graduate forward Aniya Finger also added 12.
Sophomore guard Victoria “Star” Morris stood out among the group. After earning a starting spot this season following a rocky freshman year, she finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, showcasing her athleticism as she hustled the length of the court trying to spark a comeback.
“[I’m] striving my best to do my job…playing defense, rebounding, and keep attacking,” Morris said. “Being able to shift the defense, go into the paint and move the offense around.”
The Eagles will travel to Wake Forest to face the Demon Deacons on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. The game will stream on ACC Network.
Written by Alexander Murphy and Amiya Neal
