Box Score
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team shot 58.3-percent in the fourth quarter to pull away from resilient Savannah State University in a 74-61 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory Monday evening in Tiger Arena.
 
The Eagles have won three straight games and move into a tie for sixth place in the league standings with Howard University after the Bison lost in overtime to Norfolk State University on Monday. NCCU (9-19 Overall, 7-8 MEAC) surpassed last season's win total with the triumph.
 
Junior Rodneysha Martin and freshman Kieche White paced the victors with 14 points apiece. A total of four Eagles scored in double digits as junior Caira Benton bucketed 12 and sophomore Paulina Afriyie tallied 11 points. Junior forward Deja McCain chipped in an important six points and team-high seven rebounds while NCCU battled foul trouble.
 
The Eagles scored the first six points of the contest and grabbed a quick double-digit advantage at 12-2. NCCU made over half of its shots in the period at 52.9-percent precision to lead 22-13 after 10 minutes.  
 
The Lady Tigers roared back from inside the paint as Afriyie watched from the bench with three fouls. After a lay-in by sophomore Jada Blow gave NCCU its largest lead of the half at 24-13, Savannah State went on a 14-4 run to pull within one at 28-27. The Lady Tigers kept going inside and they scored a dozen points from down low or from the free throw line during the rally.
 
A layup by senior Kierona Morton and a baseline jumper from Benton – both assisted by junior Dominique Adams – helped NCCU stay in front by two, 33-31, at halftime. The Eagles were whistled for nine fouls in the period and SSU took advantage by making 8-of-11 free throws to claw within one possession at the break.
 
Junior Kaylee Allen had a big first half for the hosts by lead as she scored 15 of her game-high 25 points before the intermission. She also had six of her nine rebounds and three of her four steals by that time.
 
Allen then scored the first two baskets of the second half to give Savannah State the first of its only two brief leads.
 
NCCU was trailing for the second time at 40-38 before closing the third quarter on a 15-5 run. The comeback featured a perfect 8-for-8 accuracy from the free throw line, a corner three-pointer by Martin and a layup by McCain at the buzzer that put the visitors up 53-45.
 
White and Blow drilled consecutive three-pointers to start the fourth quarter that extended NCCU's lead to double figures. They both added another trey early in the period and the Eagles maintained a 10-plus cushion for the final 9:39.
 
Blow totaled eight points. White handed out a game-high five assists. Afriyie, Benton and Adams all made three steals.
 
NCCU concludes its regular season at home against archrival North Carolina A&T State University on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.