Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – After an explosive start, the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team lost its offensive momentum falling to the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs 68-44 on Sunday, Jan. 5 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va.
Redshirt senior
Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.), led the Lady Eagles for the seventh time this season, earning her third 18-point performance of the season, shooting 7-for-16 from the field and 4-for-7 from behind the arc while also leading the team with four steals and three assists.
In addition, junior
Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 12 points while pulling down a team-high eight boards, and junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) and freshman
Tia Clement (Winston-Salem, N.C.) contributed five points apiece.
NCCU opened up the non-conference matchup on a 5-0 run and held the host Lady Monarchs scoreless until the 16:51 mark.
After a back-and-forth battle for the next five minutes on action, ODU closed out the final nine minutes of the first frame on a 28-7 run, as the Lady Eagles took a 22 point shortage into the break, trailing the Lady Monarchs 42-20.
A layup from Freeman at the 12:19 mark in the second half sparked a 7-1 run for NCCU as the Lady Eagles defense held ODU without a field goal for six minutes, cutting the Lady Eagles deficit to 15.
NCCU was held scoreless for the final 4:23 of the contest, as ODU earned their largest lead of 24 in the final 47 seconds of play off of a three-point shot from Michelle Brandao, giving the Lady Monarchs the 68-44 home-court victory.
ODU was led by junior Shae Kelly's 12 points and 11 boards, while six different Lady Monarchs scored eight or more points.
As a team, NCCU shot 18-for-54 from the field (33.3%), 4-for-10 from three-point land (40.0%) and 4-for-8 from the charity stripe (50.0%) while pulling down 32 rebounds, collecting 10 assists and eight steals.
The Lady Eagles wrap up non-conference play on Tuesday, Jan. 7 as NCCU battles the Winthrop Eagles in a 7 p.m. matchup in Rockhill, S.C.
