DURHAM, N.C. — A potential game-tying 3-point try in the final seconds missed its mark, ending an upset bid by host North Carolina Central University in a 52-49 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) loss to North Carolina A&T State University Saturday afternoon in a packed McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
NCCU trailed by as many as 14 before rallying to tie the game at 42-42 with 7:21 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Aggies hit two consecutive 3-pointers to start a decisive 8-0 run. NCAT stayed in from that point.
 
Junior forward Paulina Afriyie just missed third consecutive double-double with team-high totals of 11 rebounds and nine points for the Eagles. Freshman Kiyana Brown, who led all players with five blocks, matched Afriyie with 11 rebounds. Senior Caira Benton and freshman Jasmine Pollock each added eight points.
 
The defending MEAC Tournament champions used 18 steals on 26 NCCU turnovers to survive a game in which both teams shot 27-percent from the field. The 23 points off turnovers helped the Aggies remain undefeated in league play. North Carolina A&T improved to 9-10 on the season and 6-0 in the MEAC.
 
NCCU (4-15, 1-5) has scared the Aggies each of the last two seasons at home. The Eagles also lost to N.C. A&T by three points (60-57) in its 2017-18 regular season finale on March 1, 2018.
 
After a slow first quarter in which both teams shot a combined 4-for-25 from the field, North Carolina A&T outscored NCCU 19-11 in the second quarter to build up a 29-20 halftime advantage. The Aggies used 11 offensive rebounds, including six by freshman forward Rayven Peeples to score 10 second-chance points. NCAT also scored 11 points off turnovers in the first half, using 10 steals on 13 Eagle turnovers, including five thefts by junior guard C'coriea Foy.
 
The maroon and gray were trailing by 12, but Afriyie drilled her first career 3-pointer as time expired for the half from the left wing to cut the midway deficit to single digits.
 
The Aggies stayed in front throughout the third quarter, but a layup by Benton late in the period only had the Eagles trailing by seven, 40-33, with 10 minutes left to play.
 
NCCU got within one possession on a couple 3-pointers by Pollock and junior Shontai Totten, who both hit two treys in the showdown. Brown was then able to level the score for the only time in the second half with a putback attempt with 7:21 showing on the clock.
 
Foy had the answer for the Aggies as she scored the next six points in the close affair on a couple of trifectas. N.C. A&T was then able to hang on from the free throw line after baskets by Brown and sophomore Zaria Atkins in the final 30 seconds pulling NCCU within two points again.  
 
Foy, who is an All-MEAC honoree and the reigning MEAC Player of the Week, notched a double-double with a team-high 16 points and a staggering 10 steals. Peeples finished with seven points and 10 rebounds.
 
Afriyie, the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, added three steals, two assists and one block to her just missed double-double. 
 
NC Central will next play at MEAC foe Savannah State University on Monday at 5:30 p.m.