DURHAM, N.C. – Senior guard Chantal Thomas hit a go-ahead runner in the paint with 28 seconds left to lead the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team to a dramatic 52-49 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over visiting Florida A&M University on Monday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Senior Morgan Jones and freshman Jada Blow topped the Lady Eagles with 10 points apiece and freshman forward Paulina Afriyie grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for the hosts.
 
NCCU won its third consecutive game to improve to 6-17 overall and 5-6 in the league.
 
The Rattlers never trailed in the first half before the surging Lady Eagles rallied in the second half. FAMU slipped to 8-17 on the season and 6-6 in conference skirmishes.
 
FAMU scored the game's first nine points. However, NCCU slowly fought back and Blow made a layup to tie the score for the only time in the first half at 25-25 heading into the final minute. The Lady Eagles had a chance to take the lead but FAMU junior Ecenur Yurdakul came up with a late rebound off of NCCU's missed attempt and banked in a half-court buzzer beater to put the Rattlers up three at halftime.
 
Sophomore guard Rodneysha Martin scored all eight of her points in the first half to lead the maroon and gray into the locker room.
 
NCCU set the tone of the second half with an 8-0 run to start the third quarter. Jones scored her first four points of the game in that surge.
 
The two teams traded shots from that point with all five lead changes occurring after the intermission.
 
Yurdakul, who scored a game-high 15 points for the Rattlers, made FAMU's last basket with a layup at the 2:14 mark of the fourth quarter for a 49-46 lead. Florida A&M was called for two charges on its next two possessions and then missed its final few shots to be held scoreless down the stretch.
 
Morton inched NCCU to within one with an offensive rebound and quick layup just before the clock ticked under one minute. A possession later, Chantal drove in from the right wing and let go of her big basket as she stepped inside the free throw line for the 14-footer. Adams and Morton then each went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to push the Lady Eagles' final margin of victory to three points.
 
FAMU – the league's top rebounding team – held an early 11-4 rebounding edge in the game before NCCU took over on the glass and eventually won the battle of the boards, 43-41. Afriyie paced the Lady Eagles with her dozen boards and was followed by sophomore Dominique Adams securing eight, junior Kierona Morton grabbing six and sophomore Deja McCain pulling down five rebounds.
 
NCCU also caused the Rattlers to commit 24 turnover s with 14 steals. McCain and freshman Erin Houser each came up with three thefts.
 
NCCU next plays at University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.