Box Score NCCUW at Bethune-Cookman
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) - The Lady Eagles sixth series meeting with the Lady Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman was one of the best Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest of the season, as B-CU hit a shot at the buzzer to defeat North Carolina Central University 63-61 in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Monday, Feb. 6 in Moore Gymnasium.
Maroon and gray senior Blaire Houston, who matched her three-time career-high record, propelled the squad with 18 points and five assists, while sophomore Tenika Neely notched an 11-point outing and sophomore Lakisha Evans dropped eight points on the loss. Junior Jasmine Alston, who returned to action during the Florida excursion, made her first start of 2012 and finished the night shooting 2-of-4 from the long range, while Evans, who supplied the game tying free throws, wrapped up the night with a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
With 10 seconds left on the clock, Evans sinked two free throws to tie the contest 61-61. By the three second mark, B-CU scoring leader Demetria Frank shot a three pointer in hopes of sealing a victory, but off her missed shot Cleniece Roberts snatched the offensive rebounded and tipped in the basketball for a buzzer-beating basket and a 63-61 win over NCCU.
NCCU directed the contest from the 19:16 mark when Alston netted her first three pointer on the lane.
After trailing by five, B-CU pulled sharp shooter Jasmine Elum off the bench to net a behind the arc jumper and reach the first tie, 11-11.
NCCU regained the lead off the efforts of Houston’s 12-feet success.
While the Lady Wildcats continued to tie on four separate occasions and took a short two-minute lead, the mighty maroon prevailed and concluded the first half with a score of 34-31.
At the halftime intermission, Houston had already gathered 13 points and shot 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.
The Lady Wildcats returned to their home hardwood with their defensive claws sharpened, as they forced 13 NCCU turnovers in the final half of play.
Despite NCCU extending the lead to six points, the Lady Wildcats carved away at the deficit and took the home advantage on a 7-2 run. By the 11:30 mark, B-CU was ahead and remained in control until a jumper by NCCU’s Houston gridlocked the contest at 59 points apiece with 39 seconds remaining the game.
B-CU’s Frank recovered the lead at the free-throw line, and with 10 seconds ticking away Evans dropped her pair from the charity stripe for the final tie of the night before Roberts forged through in the paint and concluded the contest, 63-61.
The Lady Eagles finished the competition shooting 20-of-36 from the field, 56 percent, 3-of-5 from the long range, 81 percent and 18-of-22 from the charity stripe.
Jasmine Elum, Frank and Jalisa Isaac guided the Lady Wildcats offense. Elum finished the night with a team-high 20 points, while Frank amassed 18 points and Isaac dropped 11 points. Frank also led B-CU with three assists and five steals, as Isaac tallied the only block of the game.
In the buzzer-beating victory, the Lady Wildcats were 34 percent from the field on 19-of-56, 5-of-17 from behind the arc, and 91 percent from the free-throw line, 20-of-22.
NCCU declines to 2-21 overall and 0-10 in MEAC competition, as the B-CU advances to 7-15 overall, 4-6 in conference play and 6-0 in the series.
The Lady Eagles return to the nest to host Savannah State in their annual Pink Game on Saturday, Feb. 11, during which time solo senior Blaire Houston will be honored for her contributions to the NCCU women’s basketball team.
