Davis leads NC Central past SE Missouri St 77-70

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Raasean Davis notched his third double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds and North Carolina Central held off Southeast Missouri State 77-70 on Sunday.

The two teams were playing for the first time in 28 years. NC Central beat the Redhawks 73-46 in the 1989 Division II championship game in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Eagles (3-5) were trailing 19-18 when Alston Jones scored eight points in a 10-0 run for a 28-19 lead with 8:09 left in the first half.

Davis and Reginald Gardner Jr. did all the scoring in a 10-4 run to open the second half for a 51-36 lead. Southeast Missouri State used an 8-0 spurt, all on free throws, to get within 59-58 with 8:44 left to play. But Pablo Rivas sank a 3-pointer, Davis had a 3-point play and a layup, and C.J. Wiggins hit a 3 to push the Eagles' lead back to 70-61. Rivas and Gardner each made two free throws in the last 35 seconds to preserve the win.

Jordan Perkins scored 13 points with seven assists for NC Central, while Wiggins and Gardner Jr. scored 11 and 10, respectively.

Denzel Mahoney and Simmons paced the Redhawks (2-4) with 15 points, while Justin Carpenter tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds.