North Carolina Central University "Lady Eagles"
(4-2 overall, 0-0 MEAC, 3-1 Road)
vs
No.17/13 (AP/Coaches) University of South Carolina "Gamecocks"
(7-0 overall, 0-0 SEC, 4-0 Home)
Monday, December 2, 2013- 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, S.C.
TV: SportSouth/Fox Sports Carolinas
Radio: NCCUEaglePride.com
Twitter Talk: #NCCUWBB

The Series
Series Info: First Meeting
NCCU vs. SEC: NCCU is 0-1 all time against teams from the SEC falling to Georgia Nov. 26, 2008 (85-31).

Last Time Out

• A late first half surge pushed the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team past the Wofford College Terriers, giving the Lady Eagles their third-straight win, with a 53-44 road victory on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Spartanburg, S.C.
• Senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) led NCCU for the fifth time this season earning a game-high 16 points, on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, 2-of-4 from behind the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line while also collected a season-best five steals.
• Sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) earned her first double-figure rebounding outing of the season pulling down a season-best 10 boards in addition to junior Khyra Conerly's (Oakland, Calif.) second half, 13 point effort.
• As a team NCCU shot 16-of-54 from the field, 4-of-10 from behind the arc and 17-of-24 from the charity stripe while collecting 46 rebounds, 14 steals, six blocks and six assists.

Freeman File

• NCCU redshirt senior Jessica Freeman has led the Lady Eagles in scoring for five of their six match-ups this season.
• The Charlotte, N.C., native averages 16.8 points per game, shooting 34-for-89 from the field (.382), 14-for-39 from behind the arc (.359) and 19-for-21 from the free throw line (.905).
• Freeman earned a season-high 24 on Nov. 23 during a 76-65 victory over UNC Asheville.

 

Davis on the Double

• Junior Racquel Davis has collected three double-doubles this season (at Presbyterian, at South Florida and vs. Gardner-Webb), averaging 11.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.
• Davis earned a season-best 15 rebounds at Presbyterian (Nov. 14) and 17 points versus Gardner-Webb (11/25).

Scouting the Gamecocks

• USC is currently ranked No.17/13 (AP/Coaches)  
• Tiffany Mitchell (14.4), Aleighsa Welch (13.6), Alaina Coats (13.0) and Elem Ibiam (11.0) all average double-figure scoring for the Gamecocks in their first seven games.
• Welch also leads on the boards for USC with a team-high 9.0 per game.
• As a team USC has scored an average of 80.3 points per contest while holding its opponents to 48.4.

New Additions

• Returning only two letterwinners from the team a year ago, NCCU welcomes 11 newcomers to the court this season.
• Junior transfers Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif./Northern Arizona) and Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Johnson C. Smith) sat out the 2012-13 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Rachel Williams (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College) marks coach Taylor's first community college transfer and Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C./UNC-Wilmington) will join the Lady Eagles as a graduate student.
• After sitting out the 2012-13 season, redshirt freshmen Monique Whaley-Briggs will see the floor for the first time in a NCCU jersey by way of G.W. Carver High School of Engineering and Science in Philadelphia, Pa.
• In addition to the experienced newcomers, four true freshmen will also be looked to have an immediate impact on the youthful Lady Eagles program: Shiana Carrington (Corona, Calif.), Tia Clement (Winston-Salem, N.C.) , Alexus Hynes (Houston, Texas) and Morgan Jones (Stockbridge, Ga.).

Up Next
NCCU will see a two-week break from action before returning home on Monday, Dec. 16 when the Lady Eagles will host Campbell in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium at 6 p.m.