March 13, 2010
Game Notes - NCCU at UNC
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team (11-17) will conclude the 2009-10 season on Sunday, March 14 when they travel up the road to face Atlantic Coast Conference-member the University of North Carolina (18-11, 6-8 ACC) at Carmichael Auditorium. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
NCCU and UNC will meet for the first time this season as the Lady Eagles battle their fifth and final ACC opponent of the season. The Tar Heels and the Lady Eagles have met twice with both meetings taking place within the last two seasons. UNC has taken control of the series as they stand with a commanding 2-0 advantage. Both meetings took place in Chapel Hill, N.C., with the Tar Heels having never made the trip to Durham.
The last time they met was on Feb. 1, 2009 at the Dean E. Smith Center, where Italee Lucas' 19 points helped lead the No. 10 Tar Heels past the Lady Eagles, 98-45. Lucas made her first five shots, which were all from behind the arc, including one that opened the scoring just seven seconds into the game. Chasidy Williams scored 22 points to lead the Lady Eagles, who shot just 23.9 percent from the field and 8.3 percent from long range.
NCCU has faced some tough competition, including teams from the ACC, throughout its 34-year basketball history. Out of the 12 schools that make up the current membership of the ACC, NCCU has faced only six of them. Unfortunately, the ACC has proven to be a bit too much for the Lady Eagles to handle. NCCU stands with a 4-14 record against opponents from this powerful conference.
The Lady Eagles' 2009-10 schedule was highlighted with five teams from the ACC, one of the toughest women's basketball conferences in the nation. NCCU has struggled to find a rhythm and to put one in the win column as they stand winless against the ACC this season. NCCU has a 0-4 record against the ACC this season, having faced Maryland, Virginia Tech, Duke and Wake Forest. They look to end that skid on Sunday against UNC.
NCCU is coming off a third place finish in the Longwood Tournament, hosted by Longwood University, where they defeated Seattle, 62-58, in the consolation game. The Lady Eagles went 1-1 in the tournament, following a loss to tournament-host Longwood. NCCU earned their second third place finish of the season after claiming third place at the USF Shootout in Tampa, Fla., in December.
The Lady Eagles stand at 11-17 on the season, having won three of their last five and five of their last 10. With an 11-17 record, NCCU surpassed its winning record from last season and now stands with the best record in NCCU history as a Division I program in all of NCCU Athletics. They have the most wins of any NCCU Division I team.
NCCU's offense is anchored by Joanna Miller. She leads the team in scoring (19.0), steals (2.8), free throw percentage (75.9) and minutes played (33.6). Miller is the only Lady Eagle averaging in double-digits in scoring, while standing second in assists and rebounds.
Senior Latoya Bennett has been a force on the glass for the Lady Eagles over the past few games, entering her last game as a Lady Eagle following her 13th career double-double. The Bowie, Md. native is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 9.9 points per game, while serving as the team's leading rebounder with 7.4 boards. Bennett also leads in field goal percentage, shooting 46.5 percent from the field.
Danielle DeBerry serves as the team's leader in assists with 3.2 assists per game. Shanise Blanks anchors the NCCU perimeter game, leading the team from behind the arc, hitting 37.0 percent from long range, while serving as the team's third leading scorer with an 8.8 scoring average.
As a team, the Lady Eagles are shooting 37.8 percent from the field, 30.9 percent from 3-point land and 68.7 percent from the free-throw line.
UNC enters the contest with an 18-11 overall record and a 6-8 record in conference play. The Tarheels are coming off a disappointing loss to Maryland in the first round of the ACC Tournament, where they fell 83-77. UNC has won just two of its last five games and has made an NCAA Tournament appearance in its last eight seasons.
The Tar Heels are led by the dynamic duo of Italee Lucas and Cetera DeGraffenreid with each averaging just above 14 points per game. DeGraffenreid leads the team in four categories: steals (3.2), assists (5.1), free throw percentage (79.1) and minutes played (30.6).
Laura Broomfield is the leader on the boards with 7.7 rebounds per outing, while Waltiea Rolle leads in blocks with 2.4 per game. Martina Wood shoots 53.7 percent from the field, while She'la White is 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. As a team, the Tar Heels average 76.1 points per game, shooting 41.1 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from 3-point range and 65.3 percent from the charity stripe.
Lady Eagle fans can catch all of the action live online at www.NCCUEaglePride.com, where Paul Doherty and Danielle Johnson-Webb will bring live play-by-play action from Carmichael Auditorium. Eagle Gameday, the pregame show, will air 15 minutes prior to tip-off. A live audio and video feed is available through CBS Sports All-Access. Live statistics will also be available at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
For more information on Lady Eagle basketball, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.
