DURHAM, N.C. — Sophomore forward Anissa Rivera scored a season-high 23 points for host North Carolina Central University in a 72-62 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's basketball loss to North Carolina A&T State University on Sunday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Rivera drained all three of her 3-point attempts on the way to her game-high 23 points and she completed her fourth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds. Rivera also had four blocks, three steals and two assists before fouling out with less than two minutes left in regulation.
 
A couple of made free throws by junior forward Kiyana Brown with 2:59 left capped a 10-0 run by the Eagles to tie the game at 62-62, but a driving layup by freshman Sean Kelly Darks on the ensuing Aggie possession put the visitors back ahead for good. That sparked a matching 10-0 run for N.C. A&T to end the contest.
 
North Carolina A&T (9-1 overall, 6-0 MEAC) made all six of its free throws down the stretch after Rivera fouled out to seal the victory. The Aggies have won nine straight games.
 
Junior Cherelle Washington scored 10 of her 12 points for the Eagles in a close first half and a made 3-pointer by Rivera as time expired deadlocked the score, 31-31, at the intermission.
 
The Aggies dominated the third quarter for a second straight day, doubling up the Eagles 22-11 to take a 53-42 lead into the final frame. N.C. A&T still led by double digits inside the final minutes before NCCU made its comeback.
 
Sophomore guard Faith Williams sparked the 10-point rally with a pair of made free throws sandwiched in-between her assists on a three-point play by Rivera and a made 3-pointer by sophomore Nyasia Palmer. Brown then leveled the score with her two converted free throws.
 
Williams led NCCU's reserves with a season-high eight points to go along with three assists and three rebounds. Brown matched Rivera for joint team-high rebounding honors with 10 boards while adding five blocks and six points. Senior guard Necole Hope chipped in eight points and freshman guard Paris McBride supplied four assists.
 
Senior transfer Chanin Scott, who played three seasons at Georgia Tech, led the Aggies with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Scott also filled up the box score with four steals and three assists. Classmate Jayla Jones-Pack returned to NCAT's lineup with nine rebounds and a game-high six blocks. Darks finished with 17 points and junior Jasmen Walton supplied 13 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds.
 
The Aggies forced the Eagles into a season-high 32 turnovers, including 20 in the decisive second half.
 
NC Central (3-6, 1-3) is next scheduled to play two more games against N.C. A&T, but will have two weeks to prepare for those games in Greensboro slated for the weekend of Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 27-28.