DURHAM, N.C. – Junior guard Morgan Jones scored a career-high 25 points and came up with a huge steal in the final minute before swishing a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to propel the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team to a 63-62 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) triumph over visiting Norfolk State University Saturday afternoon in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
After Jones converted both free throws to make the score 63-60, Norfolk State decided to pass up on a 3-point chance to tie the score and settled for a successful short jumper in the paint by senior Siobhan Beslow with seven seconds left. NSU fouled NCCU senior Kristin Askew, but she missed both free throws with 5.5 ticks on the clock to keep the Lady Eagles just ahead by one. Beslow grabbed the rebound on the second misfire and the Spartans quickly moved the ball up-court, allowing junior Kiara Phillips to get off a lengthy potential game-winning 3-pointer, but her desperation attempt was well off the mark.
 
Jones netted her career-high 25 points on 9 of 19 accuracy from the floor, including four 3-pointers, and 3 of 4 precision from the charity stripe. The Stockbridge, Georgia, product also matched her best theft total by coming up with four steals.
 
Both NCCU seniors scored in double figures. Tisha Dixon posted 14 points on a sizzling 7 of 8 shooting from the floor. Askew tallied 11 points and handed out five assists.
 
Junior Tyshay Britten led the Lady Eagles' reserves with six points and four rebounds. Her two made free throws with 4:18 left in the fourth quarter put NCCU for good at 57-56. Britten extended the home lead to 61-58 with 1:35 to play on a strong putback basket.   
 
NCCU (3-12 Overall, 2-3 MEAC) shot a season-best 42.1-percent (24 of 57) to move over .500 at home. The Lady Eagles now own a 3-2 ledger inside McDougald-McLendon Arena, including two straight wins.
 
The two teams played a close first half with eight lead changes. The Lady Eagles never held a lead in the second quarter until Jones scored the final five points of the half in the last minute. A Jones 3-pointer knotted the score for a sixth time. Jones then came up with a steal on the Spartans ensuing possession before drilling a baseline jumper as the clock expired to put the hosts up 29-27.
 
Askew, who has scored in double digits in six consecutive games, led all players with 10 points in the first half (all in the first quarter). Jones had eight points and two steals at the intermission.
 
A trio of Spartans scored 48 of NSU's 62 points. Freshman Yazmen Hannah led the visitors with 17 points. Beslow and Phillips followed with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
 
The roller coaster affair finished with nine ties and 12 lead changes.
 
Norfolk State (0-15, 0-5) remained winless on the season and are 0-3. The Lady Eagles improved to 5-2 against the Spartans at the NCAA Division I level (since 2007-08).
 
NCCU next hosts MEAC foe Hampton University on Monday at 6 p.m. (revised game time).