DURHAM, N.C. — Four Eagles scored in double figures, including another double-double by junior forward Paulina Afriyie, but visiting Morgan State University outlasted North Carolina Central University 65-62 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball action Monday afternoon in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
The close affair featured 14 ties and nine lead changes. The Bears went 12-of-16 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter compared to just 3-of-8 by the Eagles to take the one-possession triumph.
 
Senior forward Adre'onia Coleman led the victors with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. She made 11 free throws in the game, including 7-of-8 in the fourth quarter.
 
Afriyie scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds. She has seven double-doubles on the season and her 17 rebounds match her career-high total.
 
Senior Rodneysha Martin topped NCCU's scorers with 15 points. Junior Shontai Totten swished 13 points, tying her season-best mark, and sophomore Kieche White added 10 points.
 
NCCU led 29-28 after a sloppy first half. The Eagles committed 13 of their 25 turnovers in the first quarter, but shot 50-percent from the field to only trail 13-11 after 10 minutes. Morgan State extended its lead to nine points, 24-15, before the Eagles scored the next 10 points. Freshman Ashlyn Lockard capped the rally with two made free throws. The Bears were able to regain the lead one more time, but a running jumper by Martin off a rebound of her own miss in the final minute put NCCU back ahead by one at the intermission.
 
Martin and White led all players at halftime with 11 and 10 points, respectively. NC Central was outrebounding MSU 24-16 at the halfway point with Afriyie already securing 10 rebounds.
 
Coleman scored 16 of her 21 points in the second half, including nine in the third quarter to level the score, 44-44, heading into the fourth quarter. Morgan State then never trailed in the final frame.
 
A trey by Martin leveled the scored for a 14th and final time at 47-47, before the Bears scored on their next two possessions to claw ahead for the final 8:21. NCCU pulled within one possession six times from that point, but was never able to get any closer.
 
Totten scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter to give the Eagles a chance late. However, solid free throw shooting down the stretch by Morgan State proved to be the winning formula for the visitors.
 
MSU took over on the glass in the second half, 26-17, to barely outrebound NCCU 42-41 for the contest. Junior Jihayah Chavis sank 15 points and made four steals while freshman Ashia McCalla tallied 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
Totten provided a game-high three steals. Senior Caira Benton notched six points. Freshman Kiyana Brown logged five rebounds and three blocks while Afriyie made two blocks.
 
The maroon and gray shot over 40-percent from the field for the first time in the New Year, but 24 turnovers and 26 fouls proved costly. Morgan State (5-15, 3-3) made 23 of its 32 (71.9%) free throw attempts to level its league ledger.
 
NC Central (4-14, 1-4) next hosts MEAC archrival North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.