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Michigan 77, NC Central 57

NCCU Trails by Just Seven at Halftime; Worah-Ozimo Grabs Season-High 18 Rebounds

December 29, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – North Carolina Central University trailed nationally-ranked Michigan by just seven points at intermission, but the Wolverines held off the determined Eagles for a 77-57 victory on Monday night inside Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan, nationally-ranked at No. 23 by the Associated Press and No. 24 by the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, scored the first seven points of the game and held a 28-12 advantage with 8:37 on the first-half clock.

NCCU then posted a 19-8 run, which included three-pointers by Bryan Ayala, Jamar Briscoe and Nick Chasten, to narrow the deficit to only five points at 36-31 with 1:12 left before the break.

Michigan sophomore Manny Harris scored with 54 seconds remaining to bring the halftime score to 38-31 in favor of the home team.

With the underdog Eagles nipping at their heels, the Wolverines opened the second stanza with a 17-4 run to take the biggest lead of the night with a 55-35 cushion at 15:58.

NCCU refused to give in and responded with a 16-4 streak to make it an eight-point game (59-51) after a layup by Chasten with 9:11 to play.

The Wolverines, however, made the final run, out-scoring the Eagles 18-6 the rest of the way for a 20-point victory.

“We didn’t lose our composure and we did what we wanted to do,” NCCU head coach Henry Dickerson said about the Eagles withstanding the Michigan run. “In the second half, we started forcing things… we turned it over and started missing shots.”

Three Eagles scored in double figures, topped by Chasten’s 15 points off the bench. Ayala contributed 13 points, six boards, six assists and three steals, while Briscoe added 11 points before leaving the game in the second half with an ankle injury.

Junior center Stevy Worah-Ozimo grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds to go along with seven points and a blocked shot for NCCU (0-15).

Michigan was sparked by Harris with 29 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, finishing just three assists shy of becoming only the second Wolverine in school history to record a triple-double.

NCCU collected a season-best 42 boards to match Michigan’s 42 caroms in the rebounding battle.

The visiting Eagles were whistled for 20 personal fouls, twice as many as the Wolverines’ 10. Michigan shot 20-of-30 from the foul line, compared to 4-of-5 free throws by NCCU. The Eagles did not visit the charity stripe in the final 30 minutes of the contest.

 “We spend so much energy to get back into the game that we don’t have enough to finish the run and take a lead,” Dickerson said. “However, I like what I saw. We have a lot of potential. This team has a bright future.”

NCCU returns to action on Jan. 3 against the Miami Hurricanes in Miami, Fla. at 1 p.m.

For complete game statistics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com.

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