DURHAM, N.C. — Senior guard
Rodneysha Martin made a big splash in her season debut with 27 points and junior forward
Paulina Afriyie had a big game inside in leading North Carolina Central University to a convincing 66-57 non-conference women's basketball victory over UNCG Wednesday afternoon in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
The Eagles had one off their best offensive games, shooting 48-percent from the field, to finally get in the win column with a healthier lineup. NCCU (1-7) also held UNCG (4-5) to just 32-percent shooting from the floor, which is the best defensive field-goal percentage against the Eagles this season.
Martin swished 9 of 17 field goals and 8 of 10 free throws to account for her 27 points, which bested her prior career-high total by one point. Martin is a reigning All-MEAC honoree and NCCU's top scorer from last season. She returned to the active lineup after missing the first seven games due to injury. Martin also chipped in five rebounds, three assists and two steals in her staggering 38 minutes of action Wednesday.
Afriyie registered her second double-double of the season and 10th of her career with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. She also made a career-high five blocks.
Martin poured in 17 of her 27 points in the first half and NCCU made half of its shots from the field (14-28) to construct a 36-23 advantage at halftime. After playing a one-possession game throughout the first quarter, NC Central outscored UNCG 12-2 over the first five-plus minutes of the second quarter to double-up the Spartans, 24-12. Martin scored half of NCCU's points during the decisive run.
UNCG briefly closed the gap to nine points twice, but Martin scored on the Eagles' ensuing possession each time to extend NCCU's cushion back to double digits. Freshman
Dasmine Kasey made a steal and eventually scored a transition layup in the final seconds of the half to complete the 13-point lead at the intermission.
The maroon and gray lead grew to as many as 19 points in the third quarter on a three-point play by sophomore
Zaria Atkins.
NCCU continued to lead 56-40 after three quarters of play, but the Spartans made things interesting in the final 10 minutes by starting the fourth on a 7-0 run. A 3-pointer by junior Alexus Willey then got the visitors to within seven, 58-51, with 6:46 left in regulation.
However, the Eagles scored the next two baskets on hoops by Kasey and Afriyie and NCCU kept at least a three possession advantage throughout the final five minutes.
UNCG could have made things more interesting by hitting their free throws, but the Spartans only made 47-percent of their attempts from the charity stripe in the game, including just 3 of 9 (33%) in the fourth quarter. NCCU was the opposite, swishing 10 of 12 free throws for 83-percent precision.
Junior
Shontai Totten made a couple 3-pointers on the way to eight points. Totten also distributed four assists. Kasey finished with seven points and three assists.
Junior Nadine Soliman, who is a two-time All-SoCon honoree, entered the contest averaging over 20 points per game. Soliman still led the Spartans in the scoring column, but was held to 13 points. Sophomore Aja Boyd chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds while junior Alexis Pitchford supplied a game-high nine assists.
NC Central concludes its five-game homestand against Wofford College on Saturday at 10 a.m.
