Seth VanDeest scored 19 points, including two straight baskets in the closing minutes, to lead Drake to a 72-69 victory over North Carolina Central on Wednesday night.
VanDeest's layup with 1:36 remaining gave the Bulldogs (5-5) a 68-66 lead, and he added another basket with 47 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
A 3-pointer by Stanton Kidd brought NC Central within 70-69 with 31 seconds left, but after Richard Carter hit two free throws for Drake with 11 seconds left, two 3-point attempts from the Eagles (5-6) in the final 3 seconds were off the mark.
Ben Simons added 16 points for Drake, which hit 10 of 21 3-point attempts. Carter had 13 points and five assists.
Kidd and Jeremy Ingram each had 23 points for NC Central, which was playing for the first time in 15 days.
