Five players scored in double figures to spark Saint Augustine’s College to a 91-84 CIAA men’s basketball victory over Elizabeth City State Tuesday at Emery Gymnasium. With the victory, the Falcons improved to 9-3 overall and 3-2 in the CIAA while Elizabeth City State dropped to 5-7 and 1-3. The victory was the Falcons’ third straight overall and second consecutive over a CIAA team.

The Falcons lived up to their reputation as the CIAA’s highest scoring team, scoring 90 points or more for the seventh time in 12 games. Junior forward Claude Neeley led the scoring onslaught with 26 points on 10 of 17 shooting and junior guard Antonio Fitzgerald added 20 points followed by junior forward Nicholas King with 19 points.

The Falcons got a boost from junior guard Barry Jones with 14 points and sophomore forward Deon Dixon scored a season-high 10 points. It is the first time this season that five Falcons scored in double figures.

Despite 15 points from Neeley and 13 from King in the first half, the Falcons trailed 49-47 at halftime. But Fitzgerald heated up after intermission, scoring 15 second-half points to lead the Falcons to their third straight win.

Dixon led the Falcons with 9 rebounds and Neeley, the CIAA rebounding leader, grabbed 8 rebounds. Fitzgerald dished out a team-high 5 assists and King had 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. King, along with Jones, also made 4 of 8 three-pointers.

For Elizabeth City State, Mitchell Moffatt scored 20 points, Ben Bridges added 13 and Anthony Hilliard chipped in 11.

The Falcons play again Thursday (Jan. 19) at Fayetteville State University at 7:30 p.m. in a CIAA Western Division game.