DURHAM, N.C. — Senior forward Paulina Afriyie scored 11 points and freshman forward Anissa Rivera grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for host North Carolina Central University in a 56-46 loss to Winthrop University Tuesday evening inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Afriyie, who was NCCU's leading scorer last season, added seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks to her 11 points before fouling out in the final minute. Rivera had a strong debut by filling up the box score with eight points, 14 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
 
NCCU sophomore Dasmine Kasey chipped in seven points and junior Kieche White tallied four points and five assists.
 
In the battle of two Eagle programs, NCCU (0-1) held a 44-43 lead going into the last media timeout of the game before Winthrop (1-1) finished the contest on a 13-2 run to escape with the road win.
 
Sophomore Destinee Jamison-Whitfield was the catalyst for the visiting Eagles, scored six of her 12 points in a two-minute stretch of that surge while the maroon and gray only made only one of its final nine shot attempts.
 
NC Central scored the first six points of the game and led throughout the first half. A 3-point play by Afriyie stretched NCCU's advantage to 11 points at the 7:47 mark of the second quarter.
 
Winthrop was able to close the gap to just two points, 27-25, at halftime as sophomore Jah'Che Whitfield scored nine of her game-high 14 points in the second quarter. Whitfield completed a double-double with 10 rebounds.
 
The two teams then continued to play a one-possession game for the first 16 minutes of the second half until Jamison-Whitfield made two straight layups with under four minutes to go to give Winthrop a four-point cushion.
 
Junior Kieche White made NCCU's lone hoop in the final six minutes, netting a short jumper in the paint with 2:29 left to pull the score within four at 50-46, but Winthrop was then able to keep NC Central scoreless from that point.
 
NCCU was held to 21.6-percent shooting in the second half and to just three made 3-pointers on 21 attempts (14.3%) for the game.
 
Winthrop outrebounded NCCU by 19 (60-41), as junior Anika Riley yanked down 13 boards. Sophomore Kem Nwabudu added 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
NC Central next visits College of Charleston on Friday at 6:30 p.m.