DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will be seeking its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win of the season when the Eagles host Coppin State University on Donor Appreciation Day with tipoff slated for 2 p.m. Saturday.
A video and audio broadcast of the league tilt will be broadcast for free on the NCCU Sports Network with
Jonathan Duren providing the play-by-play. Live stats will also be available. Fans can follow the NC Central athletics all season on
NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media by searching NCCUAthletics (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) or women's basketball at @NCCUWBB (Twitter) or @nccu_wbb (Instagram).
NCCU (3-13, 0-3) is coming off back-to-back 10-point road losses at University of Maryland Eastern Shore (59-49) and Delaware State University (71-61). The Eagles are averaging 24 fouls per game in league play and have been outscored 48-20 from the free throw line in their three MEAC losses. Senior
Rodneysha Martin leads NCCU with 16.1 points per game, which would rank in the top-10 of the league once she reaches the minimum percentage of games played (she missed the first seven games of the season due to injury). Junior
Paulina Afriyie follows with 13.3 points per game and her 9.0 rebounds per game ranks third in the MEAC. Afriyie has five double-doubles, is shooting 46.7-percent from the field and is making 1.4 blocks per game. Sophomore
Kieche White scored a season-high 13 points on Monday and is third on the team in scoring at 8.0 points per game. Junior
Shontai Totten and sophomore
Zaria Atkins are both averaging over two assists per game. All three of NCCU's wins this season have been at home.
Coppin State (1-15, 1-3) lost its last two games last weekend to Norfolk State University (68-63) and South Carolina State University (75-59). The Eagles lone league win has come in their only MEAC road game so far at Delaware State (71-57) on Jan. 7 that ended a 13-game losing streak to start the season. Junior forward Chance Graham is a reigning Second Team All-MEAC selection who ranks first in the league in rebounding (11.3) and third in scoring (17.2). Graham also leads the Eagles in steals (2.3, 4th MEAC) and blocks (1.3, 7th MEAC) and has been named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week four times this season. Senior guard Brooke Fields is a sharpshooter ranking eighth in the MEAC in scoring at 15.7 points per game. Fields is third in the league in free throw percentage (.775) and tied for sixth in made 3-pointers per game (2.0).
NCCU knocked off CSU 60-52 in the two program's lone meeting last season in Durham on Jan. 13, 2018. Martin filled up the box score for the victorious Eagles with 19 points, four rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assist. Afriyie flirted with a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds. Junior forward Oluwadamilola, who is only averaging just 1.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game this season, had a double-double for the CSU Eagles that day with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Graham fouled out in that contest and was held to just two points and seven rebounds.
Complete Game Notes can be found at….
GAME NOTES NO. 17: Coppin State at NC Central
