Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – The senior/junior duo of Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.)  and Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) combined for 34 of the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team's 59 points as the Lady Eagles (11-19, 6-10 MEAC) fell during the opening round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament for the third consecutive season dropping a 74-59 shortage to the Howard Lady Bison (11-19, 6-10 MEAC) on Tuesday, March 11 in Norfolk, Va.

Freeman finished her final game in a NCCU uniform with 17 points shooting 6-for-16 from the field, 3-for-7 from behind the arc and 2-for-2 from the free throw line while collecting four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 40 minutes of action.

Davis' 17 came from 8-for-17 shooting from the field and 1-for-4 from the charity stripe while the 6-0 forward led the Lady Eagles just one rebound shy of her 13th double-double.

After Howard won the opening tip, two quick turnovers by both teams put the ball back in the Lady Bison's hands as HU scored first on a fast break layup as Jasmine Hall connected with Te'Shya Heslip at the 19:28 mark.

Next possession NCCU answered Heslip's efforts tying the contest for the first time after a made layup from Freeman set the score at two each.

The next 14 minutes of action were back-and-forth battles between both teams as the game saw five ties.

The Lady Eagles took their largest lead of the half, and the game, at the 5:08 mark after sophomore Tisha Dixon (Kinston, N.C.) knocked down a shot from the free throw line, putting NCCU on top 23-20.

HU finished the final four minutes of the half on a 12-4 run after two shots from the charity stripe from Hall with 22 seconds left put the Lady Bison on top 36-27.

As the Lady Eagles trailed by nine at the half, Freeman led all-scores with 12.

NCCU and HU exchanged baskets for the first six minutes of the second half until the Lady Bison scored seven unanswered points in less than a minute giving them their largest lead of 19 with 13:03 left in the elimination match-up.

The Lady Eagles answered with a 9-0 run of their own as a free throw from junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) cut the HU advantage to 10 at the 10:29 mark.

NCCU was unable to keep the offensive momentum alive and shave the deficit under double-figures as the Lady Eagles 2013-14 season came to a close after a final made three ball from Freeman with a minute to play knocked Howards victory down to a 15-point, 74-59 win.

The Lady Bison advanced to the second round led by five double-figure scoring performances. Shavonne Duckett and Cheyenne Brown led HU offensively with 15 and four points respectively while Sydni Johnson pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds and added 12 points.

As a team Howard shot 26-for-48 from the field (54.2%), 6-for-8 from behind the arc (75.0%) and 16-for-21 from the free throw line (76.2%) while collecting 32 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and ten steals.

NCCU finished its final contest of the season shooting 21-for-52 from the field (40.4%), 4-for-9 from the three (44.4%) and 13-for-22 from the charity stripe (59.1%), collected 30 rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and nine steals.

Freeman upped the NCCU's single season three-point field goals made record to 69 after the final game. 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.