Gardner Jr. hits 4 3s, scores 19; NC Central beat UMES 63-60

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Reggie Gardner Jr. scored 19 points, including four 3-pointers, and Raasean Davis added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting to help North Carolina Central slip past Maryland-Eastern Shore 63-60 on Monday night.

Freshman Jordan Perkins had nine points, six rebounds and nine assists for NCCU (11-9, 5-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). The Eagles have won 12 in a row against Eastern Shore (5-17, 1-5).

Gardner hit a 3 and Larry McKnight Jr. made two free throws to give N.C. Central a 59-55 lead with two minutes to play. Logan McIntosh connected with Miryne Thomas for an alley-oop dunk that pulled the Hawks within two points but Pablo Rivas answered with a layup that made it 61-57 with 49 seconds remaining. Perkins and Gardner each made 1 of 2 free throws from there to seal it.

McIntosh led Eastern Shore with a career-high 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Thomas added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Cameron Bacote scored 11 points.

The Hawks, who made just 20-of-68 field-goal attempts, have lost five in a row.

NCCU shot 60 percent (12 of 12) in the second half and finished with 20 assists on 22 field goals.