THE GAME
The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team looks to end its four-game losing streak as the Lady Eagles (8-15, 3-7 MEAC) take on the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (6-14, 4-6 MEAC) during the first of NCCU's three-game road stint on Saturday, Feb. 15 in Orangeburg, S.C., at 4 p.m.

THE SERIES

• Series Info: South Carolina State Leads 11-2 All-Time
• Last Meeting: March 4, 2013 | Durham, N.C. | 70-50 | SCSU

 
THE FREEMAN FILE

• NCCU redshirt senior guard Jessica Freeman leads the Lady Eagles this season averaging 15.3 points per game, shooting 121-for-367 from the field (.330), 54-for-166 from behind the arc (.325) and 55-for-71 from the free throw line (.775). She also leads the team steals (60) and third-best in assists (43).
• The Charlotte native is also ranked No. 28 in the nation as of Feb. 14 in steals per game, averaging 2.61.
• Freeman has scored in double-figures during 18 of the teams 23 match-ups this season with four 20+ scoring performing, earning a season-high 26 on Dec. 19 during a 73-69 victory over Western Carolina.

DAVIS ON THE DOUBLE

• Junior Racquel Davis has collected ten double-doubles this season (at Presbyterian, at South Florida, vs. Gardner-Webb and vs. Western Carolina, at Florida A&M, at Bethune-Cookman, vs. Coppin State, vs. Morgan State, at Howard and vs. Florida A&M), averaging a team second-best 13.2 points and a team-best 8.9 rebounds per contest.
• The Brooklyn, N.Y., native's 10 double-doubles ranks her tied for 47^th in the nation as of Feb. 14.
• Davis earned a season-best 15 rebounds at Presbyterian (Nov. 14) and 27 points at Florida A&M (Jan. 11).

LAST TIME OUT

• The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team was unable to pull off the season sweep over the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers (12-12, 6-5) as the Lady Eagles (8-15, 3-7) dropped a seven-point, 70-63 decision to FAMU inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Monday, Feb. 10.
• Redshirt junior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) led NCCU offensively, scoring a team-best 21 points on 8-for-25 shooting from the field, 3-for-9 from behind the arc and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe while also pulling down four boards, dishing two assists and collecting two steals.
• In addition to Freeman, junior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) collected her tenth double-double of the season scoring 18 points and seizing 12 rebounds.
• The Lady Eagles scored first during the opening seconds as rookie Alexus Hynes (Houston, Texas) connected with Davis on the block at the 19:16 mark.
• NCCU quickly went up by five, the Lady Eagles largest lead of the game, off of a made three ball from Freeman with 18:10 left in the first half.
• Both teams exchanged baskets for the next five minutes before a hoop and harm from the Lady Rattlers Jasmine Grice put FAMU on top 14-12 at the 13:30 mark.
• The Lady Rattlers took that momentum into the next 11 minutes of play, outscoring NCCU 22-10, pulling ahead by as many as 17.
• The Lady Eagles scored six-straight baskets to end the half, cutting the FAMU lead to 11 heading into the intermission, 39-28.
• During the second half, the Lady Eagles cut the deficit to eight after Davis found freshmen Morgan Jones (Stockbridge, Ga.) on the top of the key where the rookie knocked down the shot from behind the arc with 7:14 left in the game.
• Although NCCU outscored the Lady Rattlers 35-31 during the second twenty minutes of play, it was not enough to pull ahead of FAMU as the Lady Eagles dropped the rematch battle 70-63.
• Grice led the Lady Rattlers scoring a game-high 34 points on 14-for-24 shooting from the field, 1-for-5 from three-point land, and 5-for-5 from the free throw line. The redshirt senior also collected five boards, three assists, one blocked shot and four steals during her 40 minutes of action.
• As a team NCCU shot 25-for-59 from the field (42.4%), 5-for-15 from behind the arc (33.3%) and 8-for-18 from the foul line (44.4%) while pulling down 38 boards, dishing 16 assists and collecting seven steals.

SCOUTING THE LADY BULLDOGS

• SC State enters the weekend with a 6-14 overall record and 4-6 in the MEAC.
• Senior Kourtney Williams leads SC State in scoring at 16.8 points per outing. Redshirt-sophomore Mykala Jones is averaging 9.7 points and Graduate Cabriel Duren is averaging 10.3 points and 3.9 assists per outing. Senior Cherisha Floyd leads the team in rebounding at 5.7 boards per outing.
• Last time out, Duren had 21 points, including 13 in the second half, to help SCSU to a 64-60 win over host Delaware State Saturday in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest at Memorial Hall. Duren, the only Lady Bulldog in double figures, scored her team's final seven points as SCSU snapped a five-game losing streak.

UP NEXT

• NCCU continues road action on Monday, Feb. 17 as the Lady Eagles travel to Savannah, Ga., where they will take on the Savannah State Tigers at 6 p.m.