DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will try and upset host North Carolina A&T State University on the road in its final regular-season test before the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament when the rivals' tip-off in the Corbett Sports Center at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
 
An audio broadcast of the league tilt will be available for free on the NCCU Sports Network with Jonathan Duren providing the play-by-play. NCAT will also be providing video and live stats. 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 (8-20, 5-10) is currently tied for eighth place in the MEAC standings with Delaware State University. A win against NCAT would clinch the eighth seed for the Eagles. NCCU cannot finish any worse than tied for ninth with a loss. Junior forward Paulina Afriyie leads the Eagles in points (13.5), rebounds (9.2) and field-goal percentage (43.2%) while ranking second on the team in blocks (1.3). She ranks in the top dozen of the MEAC in all four of those statistical categories, has been named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week three times this season and has nine double-doubles on the campaign. Senior guard Rodnesyha Martin follows just behind Afriyie with 13.3 points per game and is ranked in the top-10 of the MEAC in both free throw percentage (74.2%) and 3-point field-goal percentage (30.4%). Senior Caira Benton is coming off her best game of the year with 19 points, six reobunds, two assists and two steals when the Eagles last played 10 days ago in a 72-60 home loss to South Carolina State University.
 
NCAT (18-10, 15-0) is trying to complete a perfect MEAC regular season and the Aggies have already secured the 2019 regular season crown and top seed in the league tourney. N.C. A&T will play the winner of the No. 8/9 first-round game in the quarterfinals next Wednesday (which NCCU is most likely to play in that No. 8/9 game on Tuesday).  The defending MEAC champions are being led by junior guard C'Coriea Foy, who is averaging 13.2 points and 2.5 steals per game. Foy was a Second Team All-MEAC selection in her first season at N.C. A&T after transferring in from University of Alabama and she is also chipping in 2.7 assists per game. Junior guard Cinia McCray is NCAT's other double-digit scorer, averaging, 12.7 points per game. Junior center Alexus Lessears is a two-time All-MEAC postseason honoree and is tallying 7.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Junior guard Shantell Bostick is the Aggies' top playmaker with 2.9 assists per game.
 
North Carolina A&T squeaked out a 52-49 win in Durham over the Eagles on Jan. 26 as NCCU's potential game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation missed its mark. Foy led the Aggies with a double-double of 16 points, 10 steals and six rebounds. Afriyie filled up the box score for the Eagles with nine points, 11 rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block.  
 
Complete Game Notes can be found at….
 
GAME NOTES NO. 19: NC Central at N.C. A&T