NC Central defeats Norfolk St 69-67

NC Central Edges Norfolk State in Thrilling Conference Showdown

In a back-and-forth battle that had the McDougald-McLendon Arena crowd on the edge of their seats, NC Central edged out Norfolk State 69-67 in a dramatic conference showdown.

The game's ebb and flow was mirrored by the teams' respective shooting percentages. At halftime, NC Central led 38-31, but Norfolk State responded strongly in the second half, trimming the deficit to just two points with less than five minutes remaining.

Khouri Carvey paced the Eagles with a career-high 24 points on an impressive 56.2% shooting night, including several key buckets down the stretch. The sophomore forward also chipped in with 11 rebounds and seven assists to lead his team to victory.

For Norfolk State, Devon Ellis led the way with 18 points, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just one of three attempts. Ellis also dominated on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds and providing a spark for the Spartans' offense.

Despite its narrow loss, Norfolk State's performance was still impressive, particularly on the defensive end. The Spartans held NC Central to 19.0% shooting from three-point range, limiting their opponent's scoring punch.

The advanced statistics paint an even more nuanced picture of the game's significance. NC Central's True Shooting Percentage (47.3%) and Four Factors (eFG% 41.9%, OREB% 43.2%, TO Ratio 19.4%) all hovered above 50%, indicating a well-rounded team effort.

The loss drops Norfolk State to an unranked position in the conference standings, while NC Central remains atop the rankings with its strong performance against a tough opponent. As the Eagles look to build momentum heading into their next contest, they'll be looking back on this thrilling win as a turning point in their season.