DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central's closing 15-2 run at the end of the game helped erase what had been a 10-point second half deficit in a 64-63 win over the Norfolk State men's basketball team on Monday night at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
In a conference matchup, the Eagles trailed by nine at 58-49 after junior Derrik Jamerson Jr. made his fifth and final 3-pointer of the contest with a little more than seven minutes left. But The Spartans turned it over four times and missed 10 straight shots during that closing stretch as the Eagles stormed back.
 
Senior Kyle Williams made a wide-open 3-pointer on an inbounds play with just 1.1 seconds left for the final margin.
 
The Eagles (8-8, 2-0 MEAC) got 23 points from Raasean Davis on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 7-of-10 from the foul line. Each team had just two players in double figures.
 
Jamerson finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Williams added 11 with a game-high nine rebounds for NSU (3-13, 1-1 MEAC).
 
NCCU had 25 attempts from the free throw line compared to just 12 for the Spartans. A total of 20 of the Eagles' free throw attempts came in the second half.
 
The Spartans never led until early in the second half after falling behind by as much as 13 in the first period. They closed the gap to 31-27 at the break, and junior Alex Long got the second half scoring started just 15 seconds in. His layup a couple minutes later gave the Spartans their first lead of the game, 35-34.
 
A little later, the Spartans used an 11-0 run to push ahead by 10, 48-38. Jamerson had a pair of treys during that time, and Williams hit one of his three on the night as well to cap the run with 12:38 left.
 
The teams traded baskets during the next few minutes, and Jamerson's last 3-pointer for a nine-point edge was followed by the closing run by the Eagles.
 
North Carolina Central had control in the first half. The Spartans were forced to call timeout early in the game after Reggie Gardner knocked own a pair of 3-pointers for a 16-9 lead five minutes in. The Eagles eventually stretched the advantage to 24-11 as NSU went seven minutes without a field goal.
 
Jamerson's second 3-pointer of the half made it a 28-21 ballgame with 4:30 to go before the break. Senior Dan Robinson's hook shot in the lane cut the margin to four at 31-27 heading into the intermission. It marked the end of an 11-3 run for the Spartans.
 
The Eagles made just 4-of-14 from deep and 22-of-53 overall (41.5 percent). Pablo Rivas was the only other player in double figures with 14 points while adding eight boards. The Eagles also had just three turnovers in the second half and 12 altogether.
 
The Spartans shot 24-of-60 (40 percent) overall. They made six 3-pointers in the second half on the way to an 8-of-25 night from beyond the arc.
 
NSU had a 40-35 edge on the glass against an Eagle squad that came in averaging nearly five more rebounds per game than the opposition. Long had six rebounds with eight points, while sophomore Steven Whitley added nine points on 4-of-8 shooting with five assists and two blocks. The Spartans had nine swats for the night.
 
Norfolk State will host Elizabeth City State on Jan. 15 for its last non-conference game of the year. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.