THE GAME
The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team looks to earn its first-ever Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament victory as the Lady Eagles (11-18, 6-10 MEAC) take on the Howard University Lady Bison (10-19, 6-10 MEAC) in a regular-season rematch during the opening round of the tournament in the Norfolk Scope Arena on March 11 at 11 a.m.
 
THE SERIES

• Series Info: Howard Leads the Series 4-0 All-Time
• Last Meeting: Feb. 1, 2014 | Howard| 66-61| Washington, D.C.

THE FREEMAN FILE

• NCCU redshirt senior guard Jessica Freeman leads the Lady Eagles this season averaging 15.8 points per game (9th best in MEAC), shooting 158-for-470 from the field (.336), 66-for-205 from behind the arc (.322) and 75-for-100 from the free throw line (.750). She also leads the team steals (68) and second-best in assists (57).
• Freeman has scored in double-figures during 23 of the teams 29 match-ups this season with 10 20+ points scoring performances, earning a season-high 28 on March 1 during a 60-43 victory over South Carolina State.
• Freeman wrapped up her final regular season on the court setting NCCU's single season three-point field goals made record with 66. Freeman passed Shanise Blanks (2009-10) and Lisa Brown's (1987-88) 64 shots made from behind to arc to top the Lady Eagles single season all-time leaders.

 
DAVIS ON THE DOUBLE

• Junior Racquel Davis has collected 12 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, vs. Florida A&M, at South Carolina State and vs. South Carolina State), averaging a team second-best 13.4 points (14th in MEAC) and a team-best 9.1 rebounds (2nd in MEAC) per contest.
• Davis earned a season-best 15 rebounds at Presbyterian (Nov. 14) and 27 points at Florida A&M (Jan. 11)
• The 6-1 forward was named to the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference All-MEAC Third Team the conference announced Monday.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• NORFOLK, Va. – Redshirt senior Jessica Freeman's (Charlotte, N.C.) game-high 22 points helped the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team tie the programs most victories since the division I transition as the Lady Eagles (11-18, 6-10 MEAC) defeated Norfolk State (12-15, 8-8 MEAC), spoiling the Spartans "Senior Night" with a 63-53 road victory in Norfolk on Thursday.
• Freeman shot 8-for-15 from the field, 1-for-2 from behind the arc and 5-for-8 from the free throw line while pulling down three rebounds, dishing three helpers and collecting one steal complimenting her 22 points during the NCCU victory.
• NSU's Jazamine Gray made a shot from the charity stripe at the 18:38 mark giving the Spartans their only lead of the contest at 1-0.
• A three-minute, 8-0 run for the Lady Eagles gave NCCU its largest lead of 16 at the 2:46 mark following a jumper from sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) setting the score at 29-13.
• Two made free throws from Freeman in the closing seconds of the half put the Lady Eagles on top by 14 heading into the locker room.
• The second half remained in favor of NCCU as the Spartans were never able to cut the deficit under nine.
• A shot from the charity stipe at the 5:43 mark from Freeman gave the Lady Eagles their largest lead of the game, pulling ahead by 19 points as they led NSU 58-39.
• The Spartans scored the final two baskets of the contest to cut the NCCU advantage to 10 as the Lady Eagles collected the 63-53 road victory.
• In addition to Freeman, junior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 13 points, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-5 from the foul line, while collecting a game-high nine rebounds, one block and one steal.
• Junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) chipped in nine points, three assists and two steals during the victory while rookie Morgan Jones (Stockbridge, Ga.) and Dixon added six points apiece.
• Logan Powell led NSU with 16 points and eight boards, while Gray added nine points and Rachel Gordon collected eight additional rebounds for the Spartans.
• As a team NCCU shot 22-for-48 from the field (45.8%), 1-for-5 from behind the arc (20.0%) and 18-for-27 from the free throw line (66.7%), out rebounded NSU 37-34, dished 10 assists, while collecting three blocks and seven steals.

 
LAST TIME AGAINST HOWARD

• WASHINGTON, D.C. – While junior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) earned her ninth double-double of the season, and three Lady Eagles (8-12, 3-4) scored in double figures, it was still not enough to hold off the Howard University Lady Bison (9-11, 5-2) as NCCU suffered a 66-61 shortcoming on Saturday in The Burr.
• Davis finished with a team-best 15 points and a game-high 13 boards while fellow junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) chipped in 13 points and red shirt senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) added 11.
• The Lady Eagles scored first after junior Rachel Williams (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) connected with Conerly on the block, giving NCCU the 2-0 lead at the 19:27 mark.
• After forcing a Lady Bison turnover during the next possession, Williams found senior Tiffany Gary (Delray Beach, Fla.) in the paint as the Lady Eagles pulled ahead 4-0.
• Howard's Sydni Johnson tied the contest for the first time at five with 16:06 left on the first half clock before the Lady Bison's junior Cheyenne Brown, who scored 14 points during seven minutes of action, went on a 10-4 by herself against NCCU.
• For nearly ten minutes the Lady Eagles were held without a field goal, only knocking down shots from the charity stripe, before rookie Morgan Jones sunk a basket from behind the arc at the 5:06 mark as NCCU began to chip away at HU's largest lead of 15.
• A 10-4 for the Lady Eagles closed out the first frame, as they trailed Howard 32-24 going into the intermission.
• With 11:16 left in the ball game a basket from sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) put NCCU back on top of the Lady Bison 44-43 for the first time during the second half.
• The remainder of the contest saw three ties and two lead changes before HU captured the 66-61 victory over NCCU.
• The Lady Bison were led by Brown's 23 points while Jasmine Hill and Victoria Gonzalez also added double-figure scoring with 13 and 11 points respectively.
• As a team, NCCU shot 19-for-52 from the field (36.5%), 3-for-10 from behind the arc (30.0%) and 20-for-23 from the free throw line (87.0%) while pulling down 41 rebounds, dishing ten assists and collecting six steals.

 
SCOUTING THE LADY BISON

• HU closed the regular season in heartbreaking fashion, losing their sixth straight game, a 59-58 home defeat at the hands of Morgan State on March 6. Te'Shya Heslip led the Lady Bison with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench.
• During the 2013-14 regular season the Lady Bison were led by Heslip's 13.6 points per game, 4.7 assists per contest and 2.6 steals per game while Shavonne Duckett led HU on the boards with 5.7 rebounds per contest.
• Heslip was named to the 2014 MEAC All-Rookie squad on Monday.
• Last time against NCCU (Feb. 1) despite missing the efforts of Heslip, the Lady Bison held off the Lady Eagles in Burr Gymnasium led by junior forward Cheyenne Brown's career-high 23 points as she shot a deadly 8-for-11 from the field, 5-for-8 from behind the arc and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.