GAME NOTES #27: NCCU at South Carolina State
GAME NOTES #28: NCCU at Savannah State (posted online Sunday)

DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will make its last regular-season road trip for a pair of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) clashes against two teams trying to catch the Eagles in the standings in South Carolina State University (Saturday, 2 PM) and Savannah State University (Monday, 6 PM).
 
Jonathan Duren will be on the NCCU Sports Network providing a free audio play-by-play for those fans that cannot attend either contest. Fans can follow NCCU women's basketball all season by visiting NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
 
Game Info

Saturday, February 24, 2:00 PM – N.C. Central at South Carolina State
Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, Orangeburg, S.C.
LISTEN
 
Monday, February 12, 5:30 PM – N.C. Central at Bethune-Cookman
Tiger Arena, Savannah, Ga.
WATCH | LISTEN | STATS
 
N.C. Central Women's Basketball
 
The Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak with a dramatic 78-77 home win over Howard on Monday. NCCU (7-19 Overall, 5-8 MEAC) sits in eighth place in the MEAC standings and is 1-14 in road games.
 
Junior guard Rodneysha Martin and sophomore forward Paulina Afriyie are averaging double figures for the Eagles. Martin, who is one of the league's top free throw shooters at 82.7-percent, is bucketing a team-high 13.2 points per game. Afriyie has increased her average to 10.1 points per game after averaging 13 points in conference battles. Afriyie is averaging a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game.
 
Freshman Kieche White is NCCU's next top scorer at 8.6 points per game with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game. She has also distributed five assists in each of the Eagles' last two tilts. A trio of juniors in Caira Benton (6.3 ppg), Sami Oliver-Alexander (5.1) and Jayla Calhoun (4.9) all have the potential for big games.
 
NCCU defeated South Carolina State, 52-41, last season by holding the Lady Bulldogs to 27.5-percent shooting. Junior Dominique Adams played all 40 minutes and had nine points, three rebounds and three assists.
 
The Eagles edged Savannah State, 58-51, last year by protecting the ball well with just six turnovers. Afriyie grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and Adams scored 10 points.
 
South Carolina State Women's Basketball
 
The Lady Bulldogs have lost three straight games, including their last game at Norfolk State, 49-63, on Monday. South Carolina State (9-16 Overall, 4-9 MEAC) is in a three-way tie for 10th place in the MEAC standings, just one game behind the Eagles.
 
Senior Bryeasha Blair, who was a Second Team All-MEAC honoree in her first season at SCSU last year, paces the Lady Bulldogs with 14.5 points, including 1.7. made 3-pointers per game, and 1.7 steals per game. She also provides 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
 
Juniors Kyesha Lewis and Kemoni Jenkins each provide the Lady Bulldogs with 9.8 points per game. Six SCSU rebounders average four or more boards per game, with classmate Jasmine Williams leading the group with 6.6 rebounds per game.
 
Blair scored 15 points in SCSU's 11-point loss at NCCU last year.
 
Savannah State Women's Basketball
 
The Lady Tigers have lost their last four games and are coming off an 88-41 setback at Hampton on Monday. Savannah State (4-21 Overall, 1-12 MEAC), who will play at Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, are in last place in the MEAC standings.
 
SSU graduated its two All-MEAC selections and all five of it starters from last season and has one of the youngest rosters in the country with nine freshmen.
 
Junior Kaylee Allen, a transfer from Chicago State, is second in the league in scoring at 16.6 points per game and sixth with 2.2 steals per game. Allen is making 1.7 three-pointers per game and is a 76.6-percent free throw shooter.
 
Freshman Alexxus Sowell is sixth in the MEAC with 8.2 rebounds per game and she is second with 2.5 blocks per game.