ROCK HILL, S.C. — Junior forward Paulina Afriyie led visiting North Carolina Central University with seven points, 12 rebounds and three assists in a 66-41 loss at Winthrop University Wednesday night.
 
Winthrop (1-2) shot 49-percent from the floor and held NCCU (0-3) to just 29-percent to earn the win.
 
Afriyie was NCCU's top performer in all three major categories and her dozen rebounds led all players.
 
A trio of Eagles scored in double figures for the victors. Freshman Jah'Che Whitfield led the way with 15 points while classmate Kem Nwabudu depositing 14 and sophomore Anika Riley totaled 10.
 
Winthrop made its first three shot attempt and NCCU missed its first four tries to grab a 6-0 lead. WU never relinquished the lead.
 
Freshman Dasmine Kasey finally put the visitors on the board with a 3-pointer from the right wing at the 5:28 mark of the first quarter. However, it proved to be NCCU's lone made field goal of the period.
 
Five different Winthrop Eagles scored in the first 10 minutes and their advantage grew to 15-3 going into the second quarter. Winthrop shot 58-percent (7-12) in the opening stanza while holding NC Central to just 8-percent (1-13).
 
Winthrop's advantage grew to as many as 17 early in the second before NCCU went on a 9-0 run. Freshman forward Kiyana Brown scored two of NCCU's last three buckets of the half to slice the deficit to 10, 30-20, at halftime.
 
Another lay-in by Brown inched NCCU within single digits, 32-23, for the only time of the second half early in the third quarter. Senior Courtney Hagaman drilled two consecutive mid-range jumpers to answer for Winthrop that sparked a quick 8-2 run and the home Eagles flew back out to a 49-32 lead heading into the final quarter and remained comfortably ahead all the way to the final buzzer.
 
Winthrop made 11 steals, including four by freshman Maleeah Langstaff, and forced NCCU into 22 turnovers.
 
NCCU held a slight 38-37 edge on the glass, with Brown following Afriyie with eight rebounds. The Eagles have not been outrebounded in a game yet this season.
 
Brown scored five points. Kasey, freshman London Thompson and freshman Ashlyn Lockard all scored five points for the maroon and gray.
 
NC Central (0-3) will next fly out to Iowa City to play at No. 13 nationally ranked University of Iowa on Saturday at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST).