NORFOLK, Va. -- Dante Holmes scored 18 points and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double as North Carolina Central beat Norfolk State 60-56 on Saturday night.

Nimrod Hilliard drained his fourth trey to give the Eagles a 56-50 lead with 2:29 remaining. Norfolk State's RaShid Gaston made a free throw and Jeffrey Short scored four points to pull the Spartans within 56-55 with 1:01 to play. Jordan Parks answered for the Eagles, scoring a one-handed dunk off a give-and-go, and Nate Maxey made a free throw to stretch the lead to 59-55 with 22 seconds left.

Parks scored 24 points and Hilliard finished with 13.

North Carolina Central (13-5, 5-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) sits alone atop the MEAC with Hampton (8-9, 4-1) losing to North Carolina A&T, 64-61.

Short scored a career-high 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting to lead Norfolk State (11-9, 4-1).