ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team shot a season-high 49.2-percent from the field and junior Caira Benton pulled down a season-best 14 rebounds in an 81-63 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) road win at South Carolina State University on Saturday.
 
The Eagles second straight win was their most lopsided victory of the year. NCCU (8-19 Overall, 6-8 MEAC) moved up to seventh place in the MEAC standings with the win, a half-game ahead of University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
Junior Rodneysha Martin led all players with 19 points while freshman Kieche White followed closely with 16 points. Martin was NCCU's spark in the first half scoring 15 points before the midway break while White was the catalyst in the second half scoring 14 of hers after the intermission.
 
A total of four Eagles reached double digits with junior Jayla Calhoun netting 11 points and sophomore Paulina Afriyie depositing 10. Other contributors to NCCU's most league points in regulation this season was sophomore Jada Blow sinking eight points and junior Dominique Adams cashing in seven.
 
Benton yanked down five of her 14 rebounds on the offensive end as the maroon and gray dominated the glass by a 50-39 margin. Afriyie just missed her ninth double-double with nine rebounds. Afriyie and Martin each had two blocks while Martin distributed five assists.
 
The Eagles pulled out to a quick 11-2 lead by making six of their first 11 field goal attempts (54.5%) and their first three free throw tries. The opening run featured five quick points by Calhoun as NCCU never trailed.
 
A pair of three pointers by Blow helped extend NCCU's edge to 23-12 after the first quarter. The Eagles shot 47.4-percent (9-19) in the period while holding the Lady Bulldogs to a chilly 22.2% (4-18).
 
Martin poured in nine points during a 17-5 start to the second quarter to construct NCCU's largest advantage of the first half at 40-19. However, SCSU was able to string together nine straight points to pull within a dozen.
 
A block by Martin on fast-break opportunity by the Lady Bulldogs eliminated a chance of SCSU closing within 10 at the half. The missed opportunity led to Adams heaving a half-court shot at the buzzer that banked in to extend the Eagle lead to 15, 43-28, at halftime.
 
Martin led all players into the locker room with 15 points while Benton had already pulled down nine rebounds. NCCU made half of its shots over the first 20 minutes (17-34).
 
White drilled four 3-pointers in the third quarter as the visitors' lead swelled to 24 points. NCCU took a 64-47 cushion into the final period. SCSU briefly pulled to within 12 points, but the Eagles kept making shots down the stretch to finish of the 18-point blowout.
 
Senior Bryeasha Blair and junior Jasmine Williams paced the Lady Bulldogs with 14 points apiece.
 
NCCU next plays at Savannah State University on Monday at 6 p.m.