CHARLESTON, S.C. — Junior guard Kieche White scored 20 of her team-high 23 points in the second half in helping the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team trim a 16-point, second-half deficit to just one point in the fourth quarter before the Lady Eagles settled for an 85-78 road loss at College of Charleston Friday night.
 
White, who was 9 for 13 from the free throw line in the contest, made a pair of free throws at the 4:23 mark of the fourth quarter to inch NCCU within one point at 68-67. However, the Cougars scored six seconds later on a transition layup and then hit one of their nine 3-pointers on their next possession to regain some wiggle room with a six-point edge. Charleston then made nine of its last 10 free throw attempts from that point to seal the eight-point victory.
 
Freshman forward Anissa Rivera was also instrumental in NCCU's comeback try as she recorded her first collegiate double-double in just her second game for the maroon and gray. Rivera scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high 18 rebounds. She also led all players with six blocks and six steals.
 
Senior Paulina Afriyie and freshman Khadija Demry each chipped in eight points for the Lady Eagles. Afriyie also had seven rebounds while White dished out four assists.
 
NCCU fell behind by 12 after the first quarter (26-14) after committing 10 turnovers over the first 10 minutes. The Lady Eagles were able to close that gap to nine points, 37-28, at halftime after holding Charleston to just four made field goals in the second quarter.
 
Freshman Taylor Collins made a trio of treys in the first four minutes of the third quarter to help the Cougars pull out to their largest lead of the contest at 50-34. Collins finished with five made 3-pointers on the way to a game-high 24 points.
 
Charleston was looking to keep a double-digit cushion going into the fourth quarter, but a 3-point play by sophomore Jasmine Pollock and a layup by classmate Ashlyn Lockard in the last minute closed NCCU's deficit to just six points, 57-51, going into the final frame. The Lady Eagles kept nibbling from that point and another layup by Lockard first got NCCU back within one possession, 67-65, with 5:13 showing on the clock. The Cougars had an answer to each score by the Lady Eagles from that point to prevent NCCU from completing the dramatic comeback.
 
Freshman Arynn Eady added a double-double of 22 points and 15 rebounds to help Charleston win its third straight game and move over .500 for the first time this season at 3-2.
 
NC Central (0-2) will next host Campbell University on Education Day this Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m.