BY JOE JOHNSON

jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667

DURHAM -- High Point's Eugene Harris added to N.C. Central's misery on Monday night, as the Panthers escaped with a 58-55 victory at McDougald-McLendon Gym.

Harris scored 16 points and hit two big jumpers in the final minute to tied the score and then give the Panthers (9-6) the lead, sending NCCU (2-15) to its eighth straight loss.

"Harris just made a big 3," NCCU coach LeVelle Moton said. "It was a contested shot. If you told me the game would have come down to a shot like that before the game, I would have taken that bet."

Harris hit a jumper from just inside the arc to tie the game at 55, then put High Point ahead to stay with 34.4 seconds left from the right wing as he dribbled the shot clock down against NCCU's 2-3 zone defense.

"It was set up for anybody who got an open look," said Harris, who made 4 of 11 attempts from 3-point range.

Up until that point, the Eagles' defense was effective, holding High Point to 37 percent in the second half and 39 percent (23-of-59) overall.

The Eagles trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half but fought back to lead 55-53 with 2:59 left, as Dami Sapara hit one of two free throws. But that was the last time NCCU scored a point.

The Eagles shot 43.5 percent (20-of-46) in the game but were outrebounded 35-32.

"We have to be able to finish games," Moton said. "That's the thing with us right now."

NCCU held High Point to only two points in the first five minutes for a 5-2 lead, then saw the Panthers to go on a 9-0 run that was punctuated by a Jourdan Morris jam with 13:15 left in the half. The Panthers led by as many as nine points in the first 20 minutes but took only a 31-26 advantage into the break.

High Point took its biggest lead at 46-35 on a 3-pointer by Jairus Simms with 14:03 left in the game. The Panthers did this all while C.J. Wilkerson, who led NCCU with 17 points, was on the bench with leg cramps.

But the Eagles fought back and got within two points on a three-point play by Sapara with 8:47 left to make it 49-47.

"We were able to come back and that's one thing I like," Moton said. "When C.J.'s not on the floor, we have trouble scoring. That's indicative of what C.J. means to us. His presence alone makes a difference.

It was close the rest of the way, as NCCU's zone seemed to bother the Panthers until Robinson got free in the final minute.

"Eugene has been doing that for us all year," High Point coach Scott Cherry said. "He's been doing it defensively, but in the last couple of games, he's done it on the offensive end."

Wilkerson said miscommunication led to Harris getting just enough room to get his shot off.

"It was a mistake," Wilkerson said. "We messed up on the defense, and he hit a big shot. It's a painful loss. This was a game for us to win."

Monday's game was the first of three straight at home for NCCU, which played its previous six on the road during the holiday break. The Eagles host Tennessee Temple on Friday night and then the Apprentice School on Saturday night as part of B.C. Powder Classic.

At halftime, NCCU women's coach Joli Robinson was honored for recently winning her 200th game with the Lady Eagles. She was presented a game ball signed by each member of the team.