Union rolls to easy win over NCCU
Union rolls to easy win over NCCU
March 2, 2006
CHARLOTTE – Judging by Thursday’s performance, Virginia Union appears intent on winning another CIAA title.
The Panthers, two-time defending league champions, rolled over North Carolina Central 76-51 Thursday in the quarterfinal round at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The victory sets up a semifinal meeting with Elizabeth City State Friday at 7 p.m.
The Panthers were led by their three All-CIAA players. Brad Byerson led Virginia Union, the defending Division II champs, with 21 points on 9 of 9 shooting. Duan Crockett and CIAA player of the year Darius Hargrove both scored 17 points while Chris Greene chipped in nine points and nine rebounds. Kevin Noell led North Carolina Central with 13 points and Charles Futrell added 11 points. Union shot 50.9 percent from the floor for the game and North Carolina Central shot 37.3 percent.
The Panthers (23-3 overall) put the game away early against the Eagles, winners over Shaw in a first-round game Wednesday. The score was 20-10 Union at the 11:12 mark and the margin grew to 42-22 at halftime.
Union shot 53.8 percent in the first half. Byerson scored 15 points while Crockett and Hargrove both scored 10 points. Meanwhile, the Eagles shot 33.3 percent from the floor in the first half. Noell led the way with eight points and five rebounds.
The Panthers relied on inside scoring and points off turnovers to open a big halftime lead. They outscored the Eagles 22-12 in the paint and converted 10 Central turnovers into 21 points while committing seven turnovers. For the game, Union outscored Central inside 48-28 and scored 27 points off 16 NCCU turnovers compared to the Eagles’ 15 points off 11 Union turnovers.
Byerson was unstoppable in the lane. The 6-7 sophomore forward shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor in the first half to spark the Panthers’ fast start. Greene also contributed in the first half with seven points and eight rebounds.
North Carolina Central, the CIAA’s Western Division fourth-seeded team, ends its season at 10-18 overall. The Panthers, Eastern Division winners, are two games away from adding another title to their trophy case. Their 16 CIAA championships are the most in the conference.
