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NICEVILLE, Fla. – North Carolina Central scored on its first four possessions as the Eagles shot 50 percent in the opening half during a 65-40 win over Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla on Friday afternoon.
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EIU dropped to 1-5 on the year and will play the loser of the Northern Arizona / Southern University game on Saturday at 11 am. NCCU improved to 2-3 with the win and will face the NAU/SU winner on Saturday.
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Karamo Jawara opened the game with a 3-pointer for NCCUÂ followed by baskets by Dante Holmes and Jordan Parks as four players scored in double figures for the Eagles.
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Reggie Smith kept EIU in the game in the opening minutes as the senior guard knocked down a pair of baskets that made it a 9-5 game with 17 minutes to play in the opening half.  Smith would finish with 15 points, his best offensive game this season.
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North Carolina Central answered with three 3-pointers on their next four possessions pushing the lead to double figures as Holmes hit his second 3-pointer in the run giving NCCU a 20-7 lead at the 12:17 mark. Holmes led NCCU with 14 points.
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The Eagles would hit 5-of-10 from 3-point range in the first half to lead 40-20 at the break. NCCU hit 3-of-6 from 3-point range in the second half to shot 50 percent from 3-point range for the game and 49 percent from the floor.
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EIU was held to 26 percent shooting in the first half but did warm up slightly in the second half finishing the game at 32 percent shooting. Â
LeTrell Viser added ten points off the bench.Â
Chris Olivier, the Panthers leading scorer, was held to one point making 1-of-2 from the free throw line with only one field goal attempted.
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Viser and
Dylan Chatman both knocked down a pair of 3-pointers for EIU. Chatman's 3-pointer at the 18:44 mark of the second half cut NCCU's lead to less than 20-points for the only time in the second half. Parks answered for the Eagles as part of his 13 point night. Jawara had 12 points and Anthony McDonald finished with 11 for NCCU.