Complete Schedule
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University head women's basketball coach Vanessa Taylor announced the 2013-14 schedule on Thursday (Aug. 15). This season, the Lady Eagles welcome 13 teams to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on the NCCU campus, while visiting 16 institutions. Of the total 29 contests, 16 of those games will be Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference matchups while 15 will be in the state of North Carolina.
"We think the schedule we put together will give us the opportunity to play in some highly-competitive games," Taylor said.
NCCU women's basketball fans will have several opportunities to see the team in action early in the season. Of the 13 non-conference games, six are at home and seven will be held in North Carolina. The Lady Eagles will also face-off against six opponents that made post-season appearances during last season: South Carolina, South Florida, Old Dominion, Presbyterian, North Carolina A&T and Howard along with Ohio State who earned a NCAA bid in 2012.
"We are playing a lot of teams that have made it to post-season play in recent years which will challenge our student-athletes and help in recruitment," Taylor said.
NCCU kicks off the 2013-14 slate on the road in Clinton, S.C., where the Lady Eagles will take on Presbyterian on Nov. 14. The last match-up between NCCU and the Blue Hose took place in Durham, N.C., on Nov. 24, 2012 when Presbyterian defeated the Lady Eagles 49-37. The Blue Hose made an appearance in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) during the 2012-13 season, where they fell in the first round to Lamar State College-Port Arthur 70-48.
The Lady Eagles' first home contest of the season will take place on Nov. 17 in a 4 p.m. match-up against Coastal Carolina. NCCU fell to the Chanticleers 58-39 in last season's contest.
Hitting the road again, the Lady Eagles travel to Tampa, Fla., where they will face-off against South Florida on Nov. 20. The match-up marks the first time NCCU and USF have met since Dec. 29, 2009, when the Lady Eagles fell 79-37. Making their second consecutive NCAA appearance, the Bulls bowed out of the 2013 tournament during the second round where they fell to California, 82-78.
The Lady Eagles closeout the opening month of competition traveling to UNC-Asheville (Nov. 23), hosting Gardner-Webb (Nov. 25) and playing at Wofford (Nov. 30).
On Dec. 2, NCCU travels to Columbia, S.C., where the Lady Eagles take on South Carolina for the first time since NCCU's transition to Division I. USC entered the 2013 NCAA tournament as a No.4 seed in the Norfolk region, where they advanced to the second round before falling to Kansas, 74-63.
The maroon and gray return to McDougald-McLendon on Dec. 16 as the Lady Eagles take on the Campbell Camels for the 14th time in school history at 6 p.m., followed by a Dec. 19 home match-up against Western Carolina slated for 2 p.m. in NCCU's final home contest of 2013.
To round out the non-conference schedule, the Lady Eagles travel to Ohio State (Dec. 29), host Bluefield State (Jan. 2), visit Old Dominion (Jan. 5), and a trip to Winthrop (Jan. 7). ODU stayed alive during post-season play in 2013 with a bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), falling in the first round to Davidson, 82-73.
For the first MEAC competition of the season, NCCU travels to the sunshine state to take on Florida A&M Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. and Bethune-Cookman on Jan.13 at 5:30 p.m.
Concluding the month of January, the Lady Eagles host four conference opponents: Delaware State (Jan. 18), the 34th match-up with the rival Aggies from North Carolina A&T (Jan. 22), Coppin State (Jan. 25) and Morgan State (Jan. 27). The Aggies also appeared in the 2013 WNIT, falling to James Madison, 77-64.
February consists of two home games and five away match-ups. The Lady Eagles travel to Howard (Feb. 1) and Maryland Eastern Shore (Feb. 3). For the second meetings of the season, NCCU hosts Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 8) and Florida A&M (Feb. 10). The Lady Eagles then take on South Carolina State (Feb. 15) and Savannah State (Feb. 17) on the road, before traveling to Greensboro for the rival contest against North Carolina A&T (Feb. 22). Howard rounds out the list of post-season appearance teams as the Lady Bison fell to Pennsylvania in the 2013 WBI, 65-60.
March begins for the Lady Eagles by hosting South Carolina State (March 1) and Savannah State (March 3).
The final regular-season contest will be a road game against Norfolk State on March 6 at 6 p.m. in Norfolk, Va.
The 2013 MEAC Championship will be held in Norfolk, Va., at the Norfolk Scope Arena on March 10-15.
For more information about NCCU athletics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.
