DURHAM, N.C. — Junior forward Paulina Afriyie scored a career-high 25 points in leading the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team to a narrow 55-49 non-conference home win over Wilberforce University on Wednesday.
 
The Eagles made 20 steals to help overcome a poor shooting performance and win their third straight home game. NCCU finished non-conference play at 3-10 overall.
 
Afriyie completed her fourth double-double with 10 rebounds. The Bronx, New York, native also made a game-high five blocks and two steals.
 
Senior Rodneysha Martin was the only other Eagle to score in double digits with 13 points. Martin has scored in double figures in four of her first six games this season.
 
NCCU registered the contests first seven points and maintained a lead up until the final basket of the first half. The Eagles jumped ahead on a hoop by freshman Dasmine Kasey, a 3-pointer by Martin and two made free throws by freshman Ashlyn Lockard.
 
The maroon and gray was able to stay ahead for a while because of 19 first-half turnovers by Wilberforce. However, NCCU only shot 21.9-percent from the field over the first 20 minutes. Senior Ariel Skipper made a layup with 50 seconds left to level the score for the first time and send both teams into the locker room deadlocked at 23-23.
 
NCCU took more than twice as many shots than the Bulldogs in the first half, but only converted on seven of its 32 attempts. Wilberforce was limited to just 15 shot attempts, but the visitors converted on seven of them for 46.7-percent. The Bulldogs also outrebounded NCCU 20-15 before the midway break.
 
After a slow first five minutes of the third quarter, NCCU put together a key 13-2 run that clinched the victory. Afriyie tallied seven of those points and her layup at the 2:07 mark provided the Eagles with their largest lead of 39-28.
  NCCU's only good shooting period was the third quarter (41.7%). The Eagles once again cooled off the in the fourth quarter allowing Wilberforce to hang around.
 
Sophomore Nia McCormick scored eight of her team-high 15 points in the fourth quarter and her layup with 16.8 second left pulled the visitors to within four points. The Bulldogs fouled on the ensuing NCCU possession to try and extend the game, but sophomore Zaria Atkins sealed the win for the Eagles with two made free throws.
 
NCCU was held to 28.6-percent shooting from the floor, but the Eagles made 21 free throws and its 20 steals led to 31 extra points off 34 Wilberforce turnovers.
 
Atkins finished with seven points and she led NCCU with six steals. Freshman Xian Lopez had arguably her best game yet with five steals, five assists, four rebounds and three points.
 
Senior Mustafa Notter notched a double-double for the Bulldogs with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Wilberforce (5-8) dominated the backboards to a 44-33 margin, but only led once at 26-25 early in the third quarter on a McCormick 3-pointer.
 
NC Central will begin Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play by hosting defending regular season champions Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday at 2 p.m.