SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior forward Tyshay Britten led North Carolina Central University's defensive efforts with nine rebounds and five blocks but the Lady Eagles were held to just 39 points offensively in a 57-39 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) road loss at Savannah State University Monday evening.
 
The Lady Tigers made 13 steals and only committed 10 turnovers to pick up their first league win. Savannah State (4-10 Overall, 1-2 MEAC) – the defending MEAC Tournament Champions – was led by junior center Tiyonda Davis, who flirted with a triple-double. Davis posted 12 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.
 
Junior Morgan Jones hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to pace the Lady Eagles with 11 points. Senior Kristin Askew reached double figures for a fifth straight game with 10 points. Senior Tisha Dixon chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.
 
Britten – a transfer from Manor College – set her new NCCU-best totals by pulling down nine rebounds and swatting away five SSU shots. Her five blocks ties the Lady Eagles' NCAA Division I era record for most blocks by a player in a game, tying J'Mai Pollock (vs. South Carolina State on 12/30/09) and Destiny Tolliver (vs. Shaw on 1/13/10).
 
The two low-scoring teams played a one-possession first quarter, with both squads holding a maximum lead of three points. A mid-range jumper by Jones gave NCCU its last lead of 11-10 at the 2:06 mark. A pair of layups by junior Jeremica Edwards put the Lady Tigers ahead 14-11 at the end of the period.
 
The Lady Eagles were held without a field goal for a stretch of eight minutes and 15 seconds after Jones' go-ahead hoop. Savannah State went on a 14-1 run during that span to double up the visitors, 24-12, on the scoreboard.
 
An Askew 20-footer ended NCCU's drought with 3:51 left in the half and started a 7-0 rally by the Lady Eagles. Askew added NCCU's lone 3-pointer of the half in the run and junior Monique Whaley-Briggs capped the rally with a basket to cut the deficit to just five points (24-19). However, the Lady Tigers tallied the final two hoops to pull ahead 28-19 at halftime.
 
NCCU committed 15 turnovers before the break, allowing Savannah State to take 11 more shots and construct the nine-point edge at the intermission.
 
Askew led all players with nine of her 10 points at halftime.
 
A layup by Dixon as the 6:24 mark of the third quarter was NCCU's lone basket in the third quarter. The Maroon and Gray went just 1 for 12 (8.3%) from the floor in the period.
 
Savannah State outscored the Lady Eagles 12-3 over that 10-minute block to extend its cushion to 40-22 heading into the final frame. Both teams scored 17 points in the fourth as the Lady Tigers cruised to the 18-point conquest.
 
The Lady Eagles committed 23 turnovers and shot 32.6-percent for the game. Savannah State held a slight 40-36 edge on the boards but dominated points in the paint by a 38-14 margin and points off turnovers at 16-4.
 
NCCU returns home to host MEAC foe Norfolk State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.