DURHAM, N.C. — After posting a winning record in its last three-game road swing, the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will try and carry that momentum into Saturday's home Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown against University of Maryland Eastern Shore that is slated to tipoff at 2 p.m. inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
A video and audio broadcast of the league tilt will be broadcast for free on the NCCU Sports Network with Jonathan Duren providing the play-by-play. Live stats will also be available. Fans can follow the NC Central athletics all season on NCCUEaglePride.com and on social media by searching NCCUAthletics (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) or women's basketball at @NCCUWBB (Twitter) or @nccu_wbb (Instagram).
 
NCCU (6-16, 3-6) moved up to eighth place in the MEAC standings after producing a 64-57 road win at Florida A&M University on Monday and just one game into the second half of league play the Eagles are 2 1/2 games behind fourth from fourth place. Senior guard Rodneysha Martin and junior forward Paulina Afriyie continue to be NCCU's two double-digit scorers at 15.3 and 12.7 points per game, respectively. Afriyie ranks in the top-10 of the MEAC in four statistical categories, including points per game (12.7, 10th), rebounds per game (9.4, 3rd), field-goal percentage (.443, 8th) and blocks per game (1.4, 6th). A trio of Eagle guards average around six points per game apiece in junior Shontai Totten (6.3), sophomore Zaria Atkins (5.7) and sophomore Kieche White (5.7).
 
Eastern Shore (13-10, 9-1) has won its last six games to sit in second place in the MEAC, just one game behind undefeated North Carolina A&T State University. Preseason All-MEAC honoree Ciani Byrom leads the Hawks with 15.7 points per game and has scored in double digits in 17 straight games. Byrom also ranks second in the league with 4.9 assists per game and fourth in free throw percentage at .761. Fellow senior guard Keyera Eaton follows Byrom with 10.8 points per game. Sophomore forward Bairesha Gill-Miles, the reigning MEAC Rookie of the Year, is chipping in 8.5 points per game while ranking seventh in the MEAC with 7.8 rebounds per game.
 
Eastern Shore topped NCCU 59-49 in the two program's first meeting in Princess Anne, Maryland, on Jan. 12. Senior guard Ra'Jean Martin, who is averaging 7.6 points per game on the season, led the victors with 16 points. Byrom followed with 14 points while senior forward Dominique Walker tallied a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Gill-Miles did not play for the Hawks due to injury. Martin was the only double digit scorer for the Eagles with 14 points. Afriyie, who has eight double-doubles on the season, flirted with one in that contest with eight points and nine rebounds. NCCU led after each of the first three quarters, but the Hawks doubled-up the Eagles 22-11 in the fourth quarter to win by 10.
 
Complete Game Notes can be found at….
 
GAME NOTES NO. 23: Eastern Shore at NC Central