GAME NOTES #25: Eastern Shore at NCCU
GAME NOTES #26: Howard at NCCU (posted online Sunday)
DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will try and improve on its winning record at home and make a late season push up the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings when the Eagles host University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Saturday, 2 PM) and Howard University (Monday, 4 PM) in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
NCCU will be providing
FREE live video, audio and stats for those that cannot attend the contest inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
Jonathan Duren will be on the air providing the play-by-play on the NCCU Sports Network. Fans can follow NCCU women's basketball all season by visiting
NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
Senior Day
NCCU's lone senior
Kierona Morton will be honored before Saturday's game against the Hawks. Fans are encouraged to be in attendance by 1:45 p.m. to cheer on Morton during the presentation.
Game Info
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2 PM – Eastern Shore at NCCU
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
WATCH |
LISTEN |
STATS
Monday, Feb. 19, 4 PM – Howard at NCCU
McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
WATCH |
LISTEN |
STATS
N.C. Central Women's Basketball
The Eagles return home after dropping a pair of games in the Sunshine State to Florida A&M University (84-81 OT) and Bethune-Cookman University (57-47). NCCU (6-18 Overall, 4-7 MEAC) is tied for ninth place in the league standings, but within two games of sixth place.
Junior
Rodneysha Martin is NCCU's top scorer at 13 points per game. Martin, who is one of the league's best free throw shooters at 83%, also paces the Eagles with 2.2 assists per contest.
Sophomore
Paulina Afriyie ranks amongst the conference leaders in rebounds (8.0 rpg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and field goal percentage (46.7%). Afriyie, who has seven double-doubles on the season, is nearly averaging a double-double of 12.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in league play.
Freshman
Kieche White continues to increase her scoring output and is averaging 8.5 points per game. White is a 38.6-percent accurate shooter from 3-point range and matches Martin and Afriyie with 12. 2 points per game in MEAC tilts.
NCCU's next five scorers are all juniors and they all have the potential to have a big game for the maroon and gray, including
Caira Benton,
Sami Oliver-Alexander,
Jayla Calhoun,
Deja McCain and
Dominique Adams.
NCCU dropped its first showdown to Eastern Shore, 84-73, in Princess Anne, Maryland, on Jan. 22. White scored a career-high 28 points while Martin (19 points) and Afriyie (15) both scored in double figures.
The Eagles suffered a 69-54 setback to Howard University in Washington, D.C., in the first meeting on Jan. 20. Martin paced NCCU with 20 points and Afriyie flirted with a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.
Maryland Eastern Shore Women's Basketball
The Hawks have gone 4-2 over the last three weeks starting with the win over NCCU and they are coming off an 83-79 win at Howard on Monday. Maryland Eastern Shore (8-16 Overall, 5-7 MEAC) is tied for seventh in the league standings.
Freshman forward Bairesha Gill-Miles has immediately become an impact player for the Hawks, leading the squad with 10.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. She has earned five MEAC Rookie of the Week awards.
Junior guard Ciani Byrom – a MEAC All-Rookie honoree in 2015-16 – also averages double-figure scoring with 10.6 points per game. Senior forward Jordyn Smith adds provides 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, including 10.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in league play. Senior guard Martha Thompson chips in 7.2 points and leads the Hawks with 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Eastern Shore outrebounded the Eagles by 14, 48-34, with 25 offensive rebounds in its 11-point win over NCCU last month. Gill-Miles led the victors with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Howard Women's Basketball
The Bison had a three-game win streak snapped by Eastern Shore, 83-79, in their last game on Monday. Howard (10-14 Overall, 6-5 MEAC) sits in sixth place in the league standings and will play at North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday before visiting Durham on Monday.
Sophomore guard Sarah Edmond leads the Bison with 13.0 points per game and she ranks sixth in the MEAC with 3.3 assists per game. Classmate Ayonna Williams compliments Edmond in the backcourt with 9.7 points and 3.1 assists per game. Fellow sophomore forward Jayla Myles chips in 7.0 points and a team-high 6.0 rebound s per game.
Edmond and Miles were both MEAC All-Rookie selections last year.
Eastern Shore outrebounded the Eagles, 58-42, in its 15-point victory over NCCU last month. Myles notched a double-double of 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in that triumph. Williams totaled 16 points, seven assists and four steals.
