Rivas, Davis spark NC Central to 58-56 upset in MEAC tourney

Mar 9, 2018, 02:12 am

NORFOLK, Va. -- Pablo Rivas and Raasean Davis combined to score 35 points and grab 32 rebounds and sixth-seeded North Carolina Central edged No. 3 seed Savannah State 58-56 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinal Thursday night.

N.C. Central (17-15) advances to Friday's semifinal round to take on No. 7 seed Morgan State, which ousted second-seeded Bethune Cookman 78-77 on Wednesday.

Dexter McClanahan hit a long 3-pointer that pulled Savannah State within 58-56 with 58 seconds remaining, but neither team scored after that.

Rivas scored 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting, 3 of 5 from distance, and grabbed 12 boards. Davis, who dunked with about a minute left to cap the scoring for N.C. Central, pulled down 20 rebounds and scored 16 points.

McClanahan led Savannah State (15-17), the NCAA leader in 3-pointers (making 12.4 per game), with 23 points but was 3 of 10 from behind the arc. The Tigers shot 28 percent from the field (18 of 64) and made just 8 of 32 from 3-point range.