DOVER, Del. — A trio of Eagles scored in double figures for the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team, but they could not stop the top scorer in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as host Delaware State University secured a 71-61 victory Monday evening in Memorial Hall Gym.
 
Senior NaJai Pollard scored 31 points in leading the Lady Hornets to their first league win. The two-time First Team All-MEAC honoree, who entered Monday's game ranked seventh in the nation in scoring, also yanked down a game-high 14 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season as Delaware State improved to 3-12 on the season and 1-3 in the MEAC.
 
Senior Rodneysha Martin led the Eagles with 15 points. Junior Paulina Afriyie deposited 14 points and sophomore Kieche White sank a season-best 13 points in just her third game back from injury. Martin added three steals, Afriyie corralled seven rebounds and sophomore Zaria Atkins distributed four assists.
 
NCCU only made two of its first 14 shots (14%) on two consecutive transition pull-up jumpers by Martin to give the Eagles an early 6-2 advantage. DSU was able to rally ahead, but Afriyie scored NCCU's final seven points of the quarter. Her 3-point play with 20.5 seconds showing on the clock leveled the score at 13-all.
 
The Lady Hornets scored the first seven points of the second quarter and never trailed in the period. However, the Eagles were able to finish the period on an 8-2 run to level the score again at 28-28 heading into the halftime locker room.
 
Martin poured in 10 a team-best points by the midway point and Afriyie followed closely with nine points. Pollard led all players at halftime with 14 points.
 
Martin swished the first basket of the second half to give NCCU its last lead of 30-28. DSU scored the next 10 points to buzz ahead for good 38-30. The run featuring bookend 3-pointers by senior Keke Barber.
 
White scored NCCU's last nine points of the third quarter to keep the Eagles within striking distance, 48-43, after 30 minutes of play.
 
Junior Shontai Totten launched the first of her two made 3-pointers with 9:36 left and NCCU only trailed by four at that point, 50-46. The Eagles were unable to make another field goal for the next six-plus minutes and Lady Hornets went on a 9-2 run over that timeframe to help pull away for the double-digit win.
 
DSU made 20 of its 23 free throw attempts (87%), including 14-of-17 (82.4%) in the fourth quarter to seal the triumph. The Lady Hornets also dominated the Eagles, 47-32, on the glass. Barber finished with 16 points and junior Lanayjha Ashe went 10-for-12 from the charity stripe to account for her 10 points.
 
NC Central (3-13, 0-3) returns home and will next host MEAC foe Coppin State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.