Box Score
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DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team collected its second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory during the Lady Eagle's (7-9, 2-1 MEAC) best shooting performance of the season, as NCCU defeated the Delaware State Hornets (4-14, 0-5) for the first time in school history, 75-61 on Saturday, Jan. 18 inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) earned her first double-double of the season as she shot 7-for-11 from the field and 1-for-2 from the charity stripe, collecting 15 points while pulling down a season-best 10 rebounds.

In addition to Conerly, offensively, the Lady Eagles were led by redshirt senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) who scored her fourth game with 20+ points, earning a team-best 21. Freeman shot 8-for-13 from the field and 5-for-9 from behind the arc while on the defensive end, sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) dominated on the glass pulling down a season-best 17 boards and added seven points.

DSU took its only lead of the contest, scoring first during the opening seconds of the game.
After a layup from Conerly tied the score at two, Freeman connected on three shots in a row from behind the arc for the Lady Eagles, putting them on top of the Hornets 11-7 with 15:44 left in the first frame.

NCCU was able to keep the offensive momentum in its favor for the remainder of the first half as the Lady Eagles took their largest lead of eighteen into the locker room.

At the break, Freeman had already collected 14 of her 21 points as NCCU shot 17-for-27 (63.0 percent) from the field as a team and 6-for-11 from three-point land (54.5%).

During second half action, NCCU kept the lead alive capturing the largest lead of the contest after a dish from junior Rachel Williams (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) to Conerly gave the Lady Eagles a 24 point advantage (67-43) with 8:08 left in the game.

DSU battled back on a 16-8 run during the final five minutes of action before rookie Tia Clement (Winston-Salem, N.C.) knocked down a pair of free throws to push NCCU's lead back to 14, giving the Lady Eagles the 75-61 victory.

As a team, NCCU shot a season-best 32-for-58 from the field (55.2%), 7-for-4 from behind the three (50.0%) and 4-for-8 at the charity stripe while outrebounding the Hornets 40 to 29, earning a season-best 19 helpers, three steals and three blocks.

DSU was led by Tierra Hawkins who scored a game-best 26 points while also leading the Hornets on the boards pulling down eight rebounds off the glass.

The Lady Eagles return to the hardwood on Wednesday, Jan. 22 when NCCU welcomes the rival N.C. A&T Aggies to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.