ATLANTA — Senior guard Rodneysha Martin and junior Paulina Afriyie both scored 14 points for the North Carolina Central University basketball team in a 78-54 neutral-site loss to Kennesaw State University on the last day of the GSU Holiday Classic Friday afternoon.
 
The Owls improved to 4-8 and the Eagles slipped to 2-9.
 
Martin has scored in double digits in three of her first four games back to the NCCU lineup and added a team-best three assists to her 14 points. Afriyie just missed a double-double with her 14 points and team-high nine rebounds.
 
Freshman London Thompson was the only other NCCU player to make more than one field goal as she finished with nine points.
 
Five offensive rebounds before the first media timeout helped KSU jump out to an early 10-4 advantage. NCCU committed half of its 18 turnovers in the first quarter and made just two field goals over that span as the Owls lead grew to 14 points (22-8) after 10 minutes of play. Kennesaw State constructed its sizable first-quarter lead with a pair of converted layups by senior Simina Avram, sophomore Alexis Poole and sophomore Kamiyah Street along with two made 3-pointers by sophomore Breanna Hoover.
 
The Owls made 56-percent (9-16) of its shots in the first period while limiting the Eagles to just 25-percent (2-8). KSU took twice as many shots by outrebounding NCCU 11-4 and by taking advantage of the nine Eagle turnovers.
 
NCCU protected the ball better in the second quarter and got twice as many shot attempts compared to the first, but a lid remained on the basket for the Eagles as they made just three of their 16 tries from the floor for 19-percent as KSU's lead extended to 35-19 at halftime.
 
The maroon and gray scored the first two baskets of the second half on layups by Thompson and Afriyie to pull within a dozen, but Kennesaw State used an ensuing 9-2 run to extends its advantage to 19. The Owls remained ahead 53-36 after three quarters of play and then coasted to the 24-point conquest.
 
Avram paced the triumphant Owls with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Carlotta Gianolla matched Avram with 15 points. Five total KSU players scored in double figures with Street sinking 13 and Poole and freshman Amani Johnson each tallying 10 points. Johnson dished out six assists and Hoover chipped in nine points by making a trio of treys.
 
The Owls shot 50-percent for the game and finished with a 42-35 edge on the backboards. NCCU shot better in the second half, but still finished at just 30-percent accuracy on the day.
 
NC Central will next play at University of Memphis on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 PM CST).