DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will surround the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with a pair of non-conference road games at a couple of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) member institutions, beginning with a matinee at James Madison University on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
GAME INFO:
GAME NOTES 05 at James Madison
DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Atlantic Union Bank Center, Harrisonburg, Va.
WATCH:
FloHoops
FOLLOW:
LIVE STATS;
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL BENCH:
The Eagles did a better job protecting the ball in their last game, but another cold shooting performance led to a 113-58 road loss at University of Nebraska on Saturday. NCCU (0-4 Overall) is shooting 28.2-percent from the field on the season, including just 18.9-percent from 3-point distance.
Senior
Necole Hope, a Preseason Third Team All-MEAC selection, is coming off a season-high 18-point performance against the Cornhuskers to increase her team-leading scoring average to 10.8 points per game.
Sophomore
Tianna Carter, who has scored in double digits in each of her last two games, is right behind Hope with 10.3 points per game. Carter also tops the maroon and gray with 7.5 rebounds per game.
Sophomore
Paris McBride continues to be NCCU's top playmaker for a second straight season, averaging 2.8 assists per game. Senior
Ashlyn Lockard is playing the most minutes per game and is supplying 7.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
NC Central is averaging nearly 10 steals per contest, with freshman
Diamond Thomas leading a group of six Eagles who are averaging at least one steal per game with 2.0 thefts per game.
JAMES MADISON BENCH:
The Dukes snapped a two-game skid with a 78-60 home triumph over Hampton University on Sunday. James Madison (2-2 Overall) was picked third out of 10 teams in the CAA Women's Basketball Preseason Poll.
Junior guard Kiki Jefferson ranks as one of the top-30 scorers in NCAA Division I women's basketball with 20.3 points per game (29th). The Preseason All-CAA First Team honoree has made 27 of her first 29 free throw attempts this season for a sizzling 93.1-percent. Jefferson was a First Team All-CAA award winner last season after garnering the CAA Rookie of Year award two years ago. She also leads the Dukes with 6.3 rebounds per game.
Sophomore Peyton McDaniel followed in Jefferson's footsteps by garnering CAA Rookie of the Year attention in 2020-21 as the Dukes have claimed that award each of the last two seasons. McDaniel, who averaged 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season, has yet to play this season.
Sophomore Jamia Hazell joined McDaniel on the CAA All-Rookie Team last season and she is following that up with a strong second season, averaging 13.3 points per game to rank as JMU's second leading scorer.
SERIES:
Wednesday's matinee will be the first meeting between the two programs.
