Box Score NCCU vs. Gardner-Webb

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) – With an eight-point lead in their grasp in the opening minutes of competition, the North Carolina Central University Lady Eagles relinquished its power to concluded the Wednesday night matchup with a 45-56 loss to the Lady Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Dec. 28.

In the final home contest of 2011, sophomore Tenika Neely, who was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw, and junior Chasidy Williams finished the night with 10 points apiece, while solo senior Blaire Houston ended the contest with nine points.  Sophomore Alesha Jenkins pulled down five rebounds, as Houston and Neely circulated two assists each.

The Lady Eagles exploded in the opening minutes of play, pacing to a 14-6 lead off of four baskets made from the field and two long-range shots made by Houston and junior Jasmine Alston.

As the Lady Bulldogs intensified the defense, settling into a tight man-to-man, the mighty maroon offense decelerated and Gardner-Webb made a run for the lead.

On a 9-0 black and red run, the North Carolina visitors took a one-point lead at the 11:21 mark for a score of 15-14.

NCCU junior Eyandra Molina quickly answered back with a jumper in the paint to regain the lead at the 10:56 mark.

Over the next five minutes of play, the two squads varied between three ties and four lead changes before GWU took the lead at the 5:14 mark and never looked back.

By the halftime intermission, the Lady Bulldogs held a five-point lead over the mighty maroon, 31-26.

After the first twenty minutes of play, Neely lead the squad with eight points, was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe and 2-of-3 from the field.

The Lady Eagles entered the second half on an 8-6 run to bring the margin within two points at the 16:32 mark for a score of 36-34.

By the 7:56 mark, GWU extended its lead to 12 points off of a 10-2 run for a score of 48-36, which was the largest lead of the night.

NCCU was able to cut the lead to eight points before the Lady Bulldogs sealed the night with an 11-point 56-45 victory.

On the night, the maroon and gray was 27 percent from the field on 14-of-52 shooting, 2-of-16 from behind the arc, and 79 percent from the charity stripe, 15-of-19. 
Jasmine Dale led the Lady Bulldogs to victory off a team-high 15 points, while Catrina Green finished with a double-double of 11 points and 16 rebounds. Brianna Dillard, who was 3-of-4 from the free-throw line finished with seven points and lead the squad in assists with two, as Dale, who 50 percent from behind the arc and a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe, led in steals with three.

The Lady Bulldogs were 43 percent from the field on 22-of-51, 3-of-9 from the long range, and 64 percent from the free-throw line, 9-of-14.

NCCU drops to 2-11 on the season, as Gardner-Webb seizes its first win of the season for a record of 1-9 and progresses to 5-1 in the series.

The Lady Eagles will conclude the non-conference season and 2011 with a visit to Tar Heel country to face No. 24 North Carolina on Friday, Dec. 30 at 7:00 p.m., in Carmichael Arena.  UNC leads the series 4-0.

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