Box Score NCCU at Presbyterian

CLINTON, S.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – While North Carolina Central University junior Chasidy Williams gave an impressive second-half performance to achieve her third double-double of the season, a first-half 11-point lead and 36 points in the paint provided Presbyterian the footing needed for 64-48 victory over the Lady Eagles on Tuesday, Nov. 29 in Clinton, S.C.

Williams, who ended the first 20 minutes of play with six points and three rebounds, concluded the night with 22 points and 11 rebounds, as senior Blaire Houston and junior Jasmine Alston, who was 3-of -7 from behind the arc, finished with nine points apiece.  Williams collected the only steals of the night with four, while she and Houston circulated two assists each.  Sophomore Alesha Jenkins pulled down six rebounds, as freshman Jamara Malone attained a career-high three rebounds over four minutes of play.

Presbyterian took an early lead in the first half of play, with Blue Hose leading scorer and paint dominator Mariah Pietrowski hitting the first two layups of the contest for a 4-0 lead.

Houston answered back with the jumper at the 17:50 mark for the Lady Eagles.

The Blue Hose maintained their initial lead until a 5-0 NCCU run led by Houston tied the contest at 11 points apiece.  The two squads exchanged points by tying at the 13-13 mark and at the 15-15 mark.  But with a rambunctious Blue Hose crowd in full swing, Presbyterian hit an 8-0 run for a score of 23-15 at the 5:49 mark.

Alston broke the PC offensive surge with a three-point basket at the 4:53 mark, but the PC would not withdrawal their scoring attack, going on a 6-2 run before the halftime intermission.

Within the first 20 minutes of play, Houston scored nine points, as Williams netted six points and was perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.  Presbyterian’s first-half offense was led by Pietrowski with 13 points and Dria David with five points, with 18 of those points coming from within the paint.

As both teams returned to play, NCCU needed to fight back from an 11-point, 31-20, first-half lead.

Williams put the offensive responsibility on her wings, dropping five points in the first five minutes of play, while Alston followed with her second long range basket of the night. 

Nonetheless, Presbyterian answered back to the mighty maroon effort.  With the help of Pietrowski and David, the Blue House outscored the maroon and gray 19-12 in the first 10 minutes of the second half for a score of 50-32.
In the company of fresh Blue Hose’s legs, the South Carolina host sealed the night with a 13-7 run over the final 10 minutes of play for a final score of 64-48.

On the night, the Lady Eagles were 33 percent from the field on 16-of-49 shooting, 4-of-14 from behind the arc, and 75 percent from the charity stripe, 12-of-16. 

Pietrowski led the Blue Hose with 19 points, as Davis added 16 points in the win.  Sherece Smith paced the rebounding campaign with nine rebounds and David assisted in the effort by pulling down seven boards.  In the home contest, Presbyterian was 49 percent from the field on 27-of-55, 3-of-11 from the long range, and 70 percent from the free-throw line, 7-of-10.

On the season, the maroon and gray drops to 1-6, while the Blue Hose advance to 3-4 on the season and obtains their first win of the all-time series 2-1.

The Lady Eagles return to the home hardwood to host the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2:00 p.m. in Durham, N.C.  The Saturday contest marks the first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game of the 2011-12 season.

For more information on Lady Eagles basketball, visit the official website of NCCU Athletics at www.NCCUEaglePride.com.