DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will be embarking on its furthest Mid-Eastern Athletics Conference (MEAC) road trip of the season as the Eagles are scheduled to play road games at Delaware State University (Saturday, 2 p.m., NO FANS) and University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Fans Allowed) to conclude its third week of league play.
 
GAME INFO:

GAME NOTES 13/14 at DSU & MDES
 
DATE: Saturday, Jan. 22 at 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Memorial Hall Gym, Dover, Del. (NO FANS)
WATCH: DESU-TV YouTube Channel  
FOLLOW: Live Stats; @NCCUAthletics
 
DATE: Monday, Jan. 24 at 5:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Hytche Arena (Fans Allowed)
WATCH: FloHoops  
FOLLOW: Live Stats; @NCCUAthletics
 
NC CENTRAL BENCH:
 
The Eagles are coming off a 66-43 home loss to Coppin State University on Wednesday. NCCU (1-11 Overall, 0-3 MEAC) was within six points in the fourth quarter, but was outscored 22-5 down the stretch.
 
Senior guard Necole Hope leads the team with 12.4 points per game, but has missed NCCU's first three league games to start the New Year.
 
Freshman guard Diamond Thomas led the Eagles with 11 points against CSU as her season scoring average has reached double figures for the season to 10.0 points per game. Thomas also leads NCCU in made 3-pointers.
 
The forward duo of senior Ashlyn Lockard and sophomore Tianna Carter are both supplying an average of just under nine points per game. Carter tops NCCU and ranks fifth in the MEAC with 7.1 rebounds per game while Lockard follows Carter with 5.5 rebounds per game.
 
Junior Kira Lowery has averaged 8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game against conference competition in her first season at NCCU. Lowery and freshman Paris McBride are both averaging over two steals per game on the season. McBride is also coming up with over two steals per game.
 
Junior Nyasia Palmer, who is averaging around five points and five rebounds per contests is coming off a career-high, nine-rebound performance against Coppin State.
                                                                                                                         
DELAWARE STATE BENCH:
 
The Hornets will be hitting the hardwood for the first time in over a month, last losing at Lehigh University, 82-39, on Dec. 18. Delaware State (0-9 Overall, 0-0 MEAC) will be playing at home for the first time since Dec. 4 in its MEAC opener.
 
The freshman duo of Sianny Sanchez-Oliver and Joy Watkins leads DSU with 9.7 points and 9.6 points per game, respectively. The Hornets have five other players averaging within two points of each other between 6-8 points per game.
 
Senior Zoe Holmes tops the MEAC with her average of 8.0 points per game.
 
After missing DSU's first seven games, senior Janasia Law returned to the lineup for the last two games. Law, who is a Preseason All-MEAC Third Team selection, is averaging just 6.0 points and 2.5 assists per game in those first two contests, but has been one of the MEAC's top playmakers the last couple of seasons as she ranked in the top-6 of the league in assists per game each of the last two years.
 
MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE BENCH:
 
The Hawks opened up MEAC play with at 67-52 home loss to Howard University on Monday. Maryland Eastern Shore (4-9 Overall, 0-1 MEAC) will host South Carolina State University on Saturday before entertaining the Eagles on Monday.
 
Senior Amanda Carney tops the Shore with 8.2 points per game as she ranks fourth in the league with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game.
 
A pair of seniors were selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Third Team in forward Bairesha Gill-Miles and guard Brooklyn Bailey. Gill-Miles leads the Hawks with 4.7 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 7.1 points per game. Bailey is third on the squad with 6.5 points per game while pacing Eastern Shore with 1.2 steals per contest.
 
SERIES:
 
NCCU will be playing both league foes for the first time in two seasons.
 
Delaware State edged the Eagles, 64-60, in the NCCU's last tilt against the Hornets on Jan. 25, 2020, to take an 8-7 all-time series edge. But NCCU head coach Trisha Stafford-Odom is 4-3 against DSU.
 
The Eagles knocked off the Hawks, 78-70, in NCCU's last showdown with the Shore on Feb. 22, 2020, to snap a six-game series skid as Maryland Eastern Shore still maintains a 15-4 all-time series advantage.