DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will begin Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division play with a pair of games at Norfolk State University on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 2-3.
GAME INFO:
DATE: Sat., Jan. 2 (2 PM) & Sun., Jan. 3 (1 PM)
LOCATION: Joseph Echols Hall, Norfolk, Va.
TICKETS: NO fans allowed
WATCH:
Spartan Showcase ($10)
FOLLOW:
LIVE STATS;
@NCCUAthletics
DIGITAL GAME NOTES:
NC Central; Norfolk State
NC CENTRAL SNIPPETS:
The Eagles will begin MEAC play in the New Year with high hopes after posting their first winning league record since rejoining the conference as a NCAA Division I member in 2011-12. NCCU recorded a 9-7 MEAC record last season.
NCCU (1-3 Overall) concluded its non-conference slate with a 76-56 setback against College of Charleston on Dec. 19. The Eagles were held to a season-low 56 points after committing a season-high 25 turnovers.
Senior guard
Kieche White returned to NCCU's lineup after missing two games due to injury and scored a game-high 19 points against the Cougars. White paces the Eagles with 20.0 points, 3.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game. She also ranks second on the team with 7.0 rebounds per game.
Sophomore forward
Anissa Rivera has been recognized by the MEAC with a weekly award in all three weeks the Eagles have played this season, including one MEAC Player of the Week honor and two Defensive Player of the Week awards. Rivera notched her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds against CofC. She tops NCCU with 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Rivera's 3.5 blocks per game ranks fourth nationally.
White and Rivera are both Preseason All-MEAC selections.
Senior guard
Necole Hope is a third Eagle averaging over 10 points per game with 10.8 points per game.
The maroon and gray will begin league play leading the conference with 6.8 made 3-pointers per game. Rivera, White and Hope are all making over one trey per contest.
Freshman guard
Paris McBride, who is netting 7.8 points per game, ranks sixth in the MEAC with 2.25 steals per game.
NORFOLK STATE SNIPPETS:
The Spartans were the preseason favorites in the Northern Division when the MEAC announced its preseason honors. Since then, NSU has been moved into the Southern Division with Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University both opting out of the season.
NSU (1-3 Overall) has posted a winning record in the league in each of its last four season, including a 12-4 MEAC ledger in 2019-20.
For a second straight season a transfer is leading the Spartans in scoring. Norfolk State is without last year's MEAC Player of the Year and MEAC Defensive Player of the Year in Chanette Hicks (transfer from Virginia Tech), but another transfer in junior guard Jalynn Holmes (Towson) has taken over the top scoring duties for the Spartans. Holmes is bucketing 14.0 points per game in her first season at NSU while also ranking in the top-10 of the MEAC with 2.0 steals per game.
Two other transfers in junior guard Jaiden Morris (Iowa Western CC) and senior forward Mangela Ngandjui (UNCG) are both averaging 10 points per game. Sophomore center Ta'Liyah Edmonds tops the Spartans with 7.5 rebounds per game.
Another transfer in sophomore Shine Strickland-Gills (Central Michigan) may also potentially make her debut for the Spartans against the Eagles since the NCAA ruled to provide DI transfers a blanket waiver in 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic on Dec. 18.
SERIES:
The Spartans have won the last four meetings against NCCU, including an 83-75 triumph in Durham on Feb. 3, 2020. In that last showdown, junior Shekinah Howard – who is averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this season – scored 11 points off the bench for the victors. White and Rivera led the Eagles with 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Norfolk State has a 21-8 all-time series lead on NCCU.
