ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team outscored host South Carolina State University 29-23 in the second half and used 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull within five points with 2:43 left but the Lady Bulldogs made their final five free throw attempts to clinch a 58-51 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win Saturday afternoon in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
 
The Lady Eagles were unable to win for a second straight game despite senior Kristin Askew scoring a game-high 15 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. NCCU (2-11 Overall, 1-2 MEAC) remained winless on the road at 0-9 after shooting 28.1-percent from the floor.
 
The Lady Bulldogs constructed a 13-point lead in the first half and led by double digits for most of the second half before having to hold on late. SCSU (6-7, 2-1) made 16 of 23 (69.6%) free throws, including five straight down the stretch, to stay undefeated at home at 4-0.
 
SCSU dominated the backboards, 51-42, on the way to a 26-12 advantage on points in the paint and a 14-9 edge in second-chance points. Senior Jasmine Coleman paced the Lady Bulldogs with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Jahmai Bradley matched Coleman and her season-high point total by recording 13 points; senior Amber Howard poured in 11 points; and senior Toni Grier chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.
 
The Lady Eagles only led by a single point twice in the first half. A freshman Dominique Adams free throw with 37.4 seconds left in the first quarter provided NCCU with its first lead at 9-8. The Lady Bulldogs regained a 12-9 advantage after 10 minutes with two more baskets in the final 30 seconds. A pair of 3-pointers by Jones and Askew early in the second quarter briefly put the Lady Eagles back on top, 15-14, at the 8:52 mark.
 
SCSU followed with a decisive 14-0 run to jump ahead 28-15. The Lady Bulldogs closed the half on a 21-7 surge that featured 11 of Bradley's 13 points, including a 3-pointer from the right wing at the halftime buzzer.
 
The hosts held NCCU without a field goal for the final 6:41 of the first quarter and for a 5:02 stretch in the second quarter to construct its 13-point cushion at the intermission. The Lady Bulldogs shot 46.9-percent (15 of 32) and kept the Lady Eagles to 25-percent (7 of 28).
 
NCCU was held under 30-percent from the field but was able to make a second-half rally by canning a season-high eight 3-pointers at a precise 38.1-percent clip and holding SCSU to 15.6-percent (5 of 32) shooting in the final 20 minutes.
 
Junior Morgan Jones launched four accurate shots from behind the arc for 12 NCCU points, including her fourth triple at the 2:43 mark of the fourth quarter to cap a 10-0 outburst that trimmed the deficit to 53-48. Askew start the comeback with seven consecutive points.
 
The Lady Eagles made just one more made shot on NCCU's last four field goal attempts and SCSU cashed in on 5 of 6 free throws to secure the seven-point triumph.
 
Senior Tisha Dixon tallied six points for the Lady Eagles; freshman Rodneysha Martin bucketed five; and freshman Tyshay Britten had four points. Jones led all players with four steals.
 
NCCU next visits MEAC rival Savannah State University on Monday at 6 p.m.