SU vs NCCU Box Score

IOWA CITY, IOWA – The Jaguars kicked off the 2020-21 season in dramatic fashion by taking North Carolina Central down to the wire and eventually falling to the Eagles 85-77 in overtime Thursday night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

SU (0-1) had three starters finish in double figures, but the Jaguars did not have a great night from the field, hitting 27-of-61 shots for 44.3 percent with six treys. They finished 18-of-24 for 75 percent from the free throw line.

Ahsante Shivers had 20 points, hitting 7-of-17 from the field with two treys and 4-of-6 at the line. Brendon Brooks came off the bench and finished with 17 points (nine points in the second half) shooting 5-of-8 from the field with two treys and 5-of-6 at the line.Damiree Burns finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds while Jayden Saddler had 12 points and led the Jags in rebounding finishing with eight boards and seven assist.

North Carolina Central (1-1) was led by C.J. Keyser who had 33 points with three treys, while Jamir Moultrie had 15 points and Jordan Perkins added 12. NCCU shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) with nine treys and 20-of-27 at the line.

SU out rebounded NCCU, 39-27, and 12-3 on the offensive boards holding a 11-2 advantage on second chance points. The Jags committed 14 turnovers to the Eagles 19 turnovers, NCCU bench outscored SU 41-24 points.

There were 17 ties and 13 lead changes in the contest in which SU only led for a combined 8:48.

Up at the half by two, 38-36, after being down by as much as nine in the first half, Southern was able to take its biggest lead of the game for the first time after a three-point field goal by Brooks gave SU a 64-56 advantage with eight minutes to play.

Battling back and fourth, SU was held without a field goal for almost eight minutes. With :45 seconds to play in regulation Moultrie hit a critical three-pointer to give the Eagles the lead, 67-66.  The Jaguars responded when Jayden Saddler drove the ball down missing a jump shot in the lane but Kirk Parker 's offensive rebound was kicked out to Brendon Brooks who broke the drought with a three-pointer propelling SU ahead, 69-67 with just :20 seconds left.  On the next possession, Keyser made a buzzer-beating layup for the Eagles to tie the game at 69, and send the game to overtime.
 
Southern got on the board first in overtime with Burns two free throw makes, but then the Eagles went on an 8-0 run extending the lead to six, 77-71 with 2:58 left in overtime. The closest SU got was with within six, 82-76 when Shivers three pointer went through the net with :40 seconds left. NCCU outscored Southern 16-9 in the extra period. 

SU is 1-2, in overtime games under Coach Woods. The last overtime game was a heartbreaking loss to Nebraska 93-86 on Nov. 22. 2019. 

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UP NEXT
With a quick 24-hour turnaround, the Jaguars take on #5 Iowa on Friday, Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. at Carver-Hawakeye Arena in a game televised by Big Ten Network. 

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