DOVER, Del. — Forward Anissa Rivera posted her second double-double of her rookie season for visiting North Carolina Central University, but Delaware State University finished the clash of two undefeated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) teams on an 18-5 run to prevail 64-54 Saturday afternoon in Memorial Hall.
 
Rivera scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds – both team-high totals.
 
Junior Lyric Turner scored 14 of her game-high 24 points during DSU's 18-5 closing rally. She banked in a 3-pointer at the 3:15 mark to put the Hornets ahead 53-52. NCCU committed a pair of turnovers and missed two shots on its next four possessions forcing the Eagles to foul in the last minute. Turner made 7-of-8 free throw attempts in the final moments to push the final margin of victory to 10 points.
 
Delaware State (6-9 Overall, 2-0 MEAC) took advantage of foul trouble by NCCU, making 81.8-percent (18-22) of its free throw attempts. In comparison, the Eagles only took nine attempts from the free throw line with six makes (66.7%).
 
NCCU (4-11, 1-1) shot better from the field, but was held to just 22.2-percent shooting in the fourth quarter, and outrebounded the Hornets. The Eagles committed more turnovers, 23-16, that led to 20-5 advantage in points off turnovers for Delaware State.
 
In a tight first half where there were 12 lead changes and four ties – including 16-16 after the first quarter – DSU used a 9-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 32-26 halftime edge. Rivera scored eight of NCCU's 10 points in the second quarter, including her second consecutive trey to provide the Eagles with a 22-19 lead. Rivera swished another jumper at the 5:44 mark to give NC Central its last lead of the half, 24-23, before the Hornets surged ahead with nine straight points.
 
Rivera led all players at the midway break with 13 points.
 
The Eagles started the second half on a 13-7 run to tie the score once again at 39-all. A hoop by senior Paulina Afriyie in the final moments of the third quarter gave NCCU a slim 45-44 edge after 30 minutes of play. A couple of converted layups by Rivera and sophomore Kiyana Brown followed by a 3-pointer Kieche White kept NCCU in front, 52-48, with under five minutes to play. However, Turner caught fire after the final media timeout to rally the Hornets.
 
Rivera accounted for three of NCCU's six made 3-pointers, including a couple deep treys. Afriyie finished with 11 points for her third straight game scoring in double digits. Brown was the only other Eagle with more than one made field goal, going 3-for-3 for six points, while adding six rebounds.
 
Junior Zaria Atkins provided a game-high five assists for the maroon and gray.
 
NC Central (4-11, 1-1) will next play at University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday at 5:30 p.m.