DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will conclude its first month of play with a sixth consecutive road game when the Eagles tipoff at Elon University on Monday at 7 p.m.
GAME INFO:
GAME NOTES 06 at Elon
DATE: Monday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Schar Center, Elon, N.C.
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NC CENTRAL BENCH:
The Eagles will be playing a second straight team from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) after losing 77-54 at James Madison University on Wednesday. NCCU (0-5) has played all of its games on the road so far this season and the game at Elon will be its closest game to home in the month of November.
Senior guard
Necole Hope, a Preseason Third Team All-MEAC selection, followed up a season-best, 18-point performance at Nebraska with 17 points at JMU to lead the Eagles with 12.0 points per game. She is also providing 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
Sophomore forward
Tianna Carter has scored in double digits in three consecutive contests and is NCCU's only other double-figure scorer with an average of 10.2 points per game. Senior forward
Ashlyn Lockard and Carter lead the maroon and gray with averages of 6.6 and 6.4 rebounds per game, respectively.
Freshman guard
Diamond Thomas scored a season-best 18 points against the Dukes and is third on the team with an average of 9.0 points per game. Thomas paces a group of five NCCU defenders that are averaging over one steal per game with her average of 2.3 thefts per contest.
Sophomore guard
Paris McBride continues to be NCCU's top playmaker for a second straight season, averaging 2.4 assists per game.
ELON BENCH:
The Phoenix are coming off their first loss of the season, falling 79-38 to top-ranked University of South Carolina on Friday. Elon (4-1) was picked sixth out of 10 teams in the 2021-22 CAA Preseason Poll.
A trio of seniors are all averaging within 1.5 points per game of each other to lead Elon's scorers. Guard Ariana Nance, who is Elon's top 3-point threat making over two 3-pointers per contest and is shooting 45.8-percent from behind the arc, paces the trio with 13.6 points per game. Backcourt classmate Brie Perpignan, who is a Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention selection, is supplying 13.2 points to go along with 6.4 assists per game (which ranks 13th nationally in NCAA DI). Center Evonna McGill rounds out the group with 12.2 points per game. McGill, who is shooting 58.1% from the field and 84.6% from the free throw line, also leads Elon with 1.6 blocks per game and ranks second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game. A fourth senior in guard Kayla Liles leads Elon with 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest.
SERIES:
Elon is 10-0 all-time against the Eagles, including 2-0 since NCCU joined the DI ranks in 2007-08. The two teams last played each other on Nov. 13, 2018, in Durham with the Phoenix winning 83-54. Perpignan tallied 17 points, five assists and three steals in that triumph. Lockard, who fouled out that day, is the only Eagle that played in that game.
