GREENVILLE -- If Sunday afternoon's game had been played under the now-ancient rules without a 3-point line, N.C. Central might have been in good shape. 

But that pesky arc turned out to be the Eagles' undoing in their historic first official men's basketball meeting with East Carolina. 

Courtney Captain led the Pirates with 16 points including four 3-pointers in a 68-47 victory over the Eagles at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. 

The Pirates were 8-of-20 from 3-point range while NCCU was 1-of-14. 

It was NCCU's first regular-season meeting with a Division I team other than against MEAC members since 1979. The Eagles are playing their final season at the NCAA Division II level and will move up to Division I next season. 

"I was glad that Coach [Ricky] Stokes and [his assistant coach Mack] McCarthy gave us an opportunity to play here," NCCU coach Henry Dickerson said. "They took a risk in playing us. 

"They've got some good, athletic people and I thought we played hard. But a game like this lets your Division II kids know what Division I is all about." 

Besides the outside shooting the other stats were mostly in the Pirates' direction, but were not all that lopsided. ECU shot 43.1 percent from the floor to NCCU's 35.8 and outrebounded the Eagles 38-33. 

Drew Johnson had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Eagles (2-1), followed by Jason Hervey with 13 points and seven rebounds. 

"We've played some teams with as much talent as they have, but they were more physical," Johnson said. "It was a little different [playing a Division I opponent], but once it gets started it's still a game." 

Darrell Jenkins added 11 points and John Fields 10 for ECU (4-1), which improved from a cold-shooting first half to make 56.7 percent of its shots from the floor after the break. The Pirates, who shot 28.6 percent over the period. 

ECU led 23-17 at halftime on the strength of 5-of-6 shooting from the line to NCCU's 1-of-2. 

"I guess I'm pleased with the win," Stokes said. "I think we showed a little more composure in the second half." 

ECU went up 8-2 on a Jenkins 3-pointer at the 17:17 mark. NCCU came back to tie at 8-8 on a Warren Roberson jumper 12:04 before halftime but never took the lead. 

The Pirates' biggest lead of the period was seven points, at 18-11 on a Fields move in the lane at 5:27. 

The Eagles cut the deficit to 28-26 on Johnson's three-point play with 16:40 left in the game. But the Pirates responded with a 12-2 run that included four straight made 3-pointers, two each from Captain and Sam Hinnant, to make it 40-28 with 14:31 to go. 

"We just weren't making shots in the first half, and Coach [Stokes] got on us real big," Captain said. "He kept telling us to play better defense, because defense wins games." 

That run proved to be the knockout punch for ECU, as the Eagles never got the deficit back to single digits. The Pirates' biggest lead was 61-39 on Justin Ramsey's three-point play with 4:06 left. 

"A run like that is always good for you," Stokes said of the 12-2 burst. "You seem to play better defense when you're shooting well, and it got the crowd into the game." 

Hervey said the loss didn't diminish his confidence in the Eagles' chances for success this season. 

"We did a good job of keeping our composure," he said. "We just have to put this one behind us." 

The two teams played an exhibition game here last season, with the Pirates winning 67-60. 

Stokes said he isn't sure whether the series will be renewed next season. 

"We'll take it one game at a time," he said, then added with a smile, "It all depends who they recruit." 

NOTES -- The Eagles' next game is their CIAA opener at St. Paul's on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. That game follows a 5:30 p.m. women's contest between the two schools. ... The ECU-NCCU game was moved from Saturday night to avoid conflict with the Pirates' football game at N.C. State. ... ECU visits Liberty on Saturday at 7 p.m.