PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — After 40 minutes of play on Monday evening (Jan. 11), the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks and the North Carolina Central University Eagles were tied at 59. The Eagles were able to outlast the Hawks in overtime as NCCU was victorious 69-64.

"I feel like we approached this game with a fighter's mentality and that was the biggest key for us," head coach Jason Crafton said. "What we have to grow off of now is to be able to execute to win the game against a team with NCAA Tournament experience."

Eastern Shore got out to a 12-11 lead in the game's first 10 minutes. The Eagles would take the lead a minute later and would hold their advantage until halftime when they were up 28-25.

N.C. Central held a 34-27 lead with 16:36 left in regulation. The Shore would go on a 12-5 run over the next four minutes and would tie the game at 39 after a free throw from Da'Shawn Phillip (Baltimore, Maryland).

Redshirt junior Marlon Adams (Brooklyn, New York) hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 54 with 4:20 left in the second half. The Eagles scored the next four points in the game then redshirt senior Ahmad Frost (Cincinnati, Ohio) made one from behind the arc, but that was only the prelude to Frost's heroics on the evening.

NCCU held a 59-57 lead in the final 30 seconds when their leading scorer Jibri Blount drove to the lane to try and ice the game. He would run over junior Canaan Bartley (Miami, Florida) and get called for a charge and that would be his fifth foul. The Hawks would get the ball back and Frost would go coast to coast and finish with a layup off the glass to tie the game with 10 seconds left. North Carolina Central missed a jumper on the ensuing possession and the contest headed to overtime.

Jordan Perkins made a 3-point play to start the extra session to give the Eagles a 62-59 advantage. Senior AJ Cheeseman (Snellville, Georgia) answered with a layup to bring the Hawks within one. N.C. Central made a three two possessions later and would make free throws down the stretch to hold off The Shore.

Cheeseman finished the game with his second double-double of the season with 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Frost had 11 points and seven rebounds in the game and senior Bryan Urrutia (Chihuahua, Mexico) dished out a team-high seven assists.

Blount finished with 19 points to lead the Eagles. Nicolas Fennell had 13 and Perkins finished with 10 points and a game-high nine assists.

The Hawks (2-16, 1-2 MEAC) will now hit the road for the first time in conference play to face Norfolk State on Jan. 18 and South Carolina State on Jan. 20.

For more information on Eastern Shore Athletics visit http://www.easternshorehawks.com/.