GAME NOTES #30: NCCU vs. SCSU
DURHAM, N.C. – Eighth-seeded North Carolina Central University will open up the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament at the Norfolk Scope Arena against ninth-seeded South Carolina State University on Tuesday at 11 a.m.
BRACKET
TICKETS
Every game of the tourney will be broadcast on ESPN3 (WatchESPN App).
Jonathan Duren will be on the NCCU Sports Network providing a free audio play-by-play as well. Fans can follow NCCU women's basketball all season by visiting
NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media at
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
Game Info
Tuesday, March 6, 11:00 AM – #8 N.C. Central vs. #9 South Carolina St.
Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va.
WATCH on ESPN3 |
LISTEN on the NCCU Sports Network |
STATS
Wednesday, March 7, 12:00 PM – NCCU/SCSU Winner vs. #1 North Carolina A&T
Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va.
N.C. Central Women's Basketball
The Eagles enter postseason play having won three of their last four games, but are coming off a narrow 60-57 home loss to regular-season co-champions North Carolina A&T State University on Thursday. NCCU was picked last in the leagues' preseason poll, but proved the voters wrong by finishing ahead of five teams.
Junior guard
Rodneysha Martin became NCCU's second All-MEAC honoree since the Eagles joined the conference in 2011-12 and is the first honoree in four seasons. Martin paces NCCU with 13.2 points and 2.3 assists per game to earn Third Team All-MEAC laurels. Martin is the league's top free throw shooter at 82-percent.
Freshman guard
Kieche White also earned postseason honors as a MEAC All-Rookie selection. White is one of the best perimeter shooters in the league, swishing an average of 1.7 three-pointers per game (6th in the MEAC) at a rate of 39.4-percent (3rd in the MEAC). White is producing 9.5 points and 2.2 assists per game.
Sophomore forward
Paulina Afriyie has eight double-doubles on the season. Afriyie, who is averaging 9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on the season, is flirting with a double-double average in MEAC play at 12.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Junior
Caira Benton (6.4 ppg), junior
Jayla Calhoun (5.2), junior
Sami Oliver-Alexander (4.7), sophomore
Jada Blow (3.4) and junior
Dominique Adams (3.0) have all scored in double digits multiple times this season.
NCCU has defeated South Carolina State each of the last two seasons, including a wire-to-wire 81-63 road win in Orangeburg just 10 days ago. The Eagles shot a season-best 49.2-percent in the win and made a season-high 10 three-pointers. Martin (19), White (16), Calhoun (11) and Afriyie (10) all scored in double figures while Benton pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.
South Carolina State Women's Basketball
The Lady Bulldogs won their last two games against Florida A&M University (82-49) and Savannah State University (80-78 in OT) since losing to NCCU on Feb. 24. South Carolina State (11-17 Overall, 6-10 MEAC) was the ninth seed two seasons ago and won its first two games, including knocking off the top seed in the quarterfinals.
Senior Bryeasha Blair earned Second Team All-MEAC honors for a second straight year after leading the Lady Bulldogs with 15.4 points, including 1.6 made 3-pointers per game, and 2.0 steals per game. She also provides 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
Juniors Kyesha Lewis and Kemoni Jenkins both provide the Lady Bulldogs about 10 points per game. SCSU's top eight scorers all average over three rebounds per game with classmate Jasmine Williams leading the group with 6.5 rebounds per game.
Blair and Williams both scored 14 points in the Lady Bulldogs' 18-point home loss to NCCU.
