DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will begin its 2022-23 regular season at home against Johnson C. Smith University on Monday at 5:30 p.m. and then will travel to Miami, Florida, to play Florida International University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
GAME INFO:
GAME NOTES 1/2 vs. JSCU & at FIU
vs. Johnson C. Smith
DATE: Monday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
LOCATION: McDougald-McLendon Arena, Durham, N.C.
WATCH:
NCCU Sports Network
FOLLOW:
Live Stats;
@NCCUAthletics
at FIU
DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 9 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Ocean Bank Convocation Center, Miami, Fla.
WATCH:
CUSA.tv
FOLLOW:
Live Stats;
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL BENCH:
The Eagles enter their sixth season under head coach
Trisha Stafford-Odom. NC Central finished last season with a 5-20 overall record, including a 3-11 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). NCCU was near .500 at home at 4-5, but struggled on the road last season at 1-15.
Guard
Kira Lowery was NCCU's team MVP last season and is the only senior on the team this season. Lowery averaged 7.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Junior forward
Tianna Carter is NCCU's top returning scorer (9.2 PPG) and rebounder (7.3 RPG), but she will miss the start of the season due to injury.
The Eagles return three other players that have seen court time for the maroon and gray, including junior wing
Taylor Williams (4.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.6 SPG), sophomore guard
Nia Ford (5.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG) and sophomore forward
Morgan Callahan (3.5 PPG & 2.3 RPG in 2020-21).
NCCU has six players on its active roster that should see their first game action for the Eagles this week.
Sophomore forwards
Aniya Finger and
Sydney Avoletta are both coming off injuries last season, but can provide a lot of minutes in the paint along with junior transfer
Blessing Okoh. On the perimeter, junior
Tippy Robertson can run the point after playing three seasons at Stetson, junior
Kimeira Burks is a three-point threat from Daytona State College and freshman
Jerni Kiaku brings speed to the team as the lone rookie.
FULL SEASON PREVIEW
NC Central will be playing Johnson C. Smith for the first time since leaving the CIAA in 2006-07 to start its transition to the NCAA Division I ranks. The two former conference foes have a level 29-29 all-time record against each other, with the Eagles winning the last three matchups against the Golden Bulls (last game was a 79-69 win for NCCU on Feb. 24, 2007).
The Eagles will make their first-ever trip to Miami, but NCCU did host FIU three seasons ago. The Panthers won that close contest, 59-58, in overtime on Dec. 6, 2019. NC Central has a completely different roster since that meeting.
JOHNSON C. SMTIH BENCH:
The Golden Bulls went 15-10 last season, including a winning 10-6 record in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Johnson C. Smith is the favorite to win the CIAA Southern Division.
JCSU returns two of its three top scorers from last season, including senior guard Shaniya Jones and sophomore Ciara Harris. Jones earned All-CIAA backcourt honors last year after leading the team with 14.1 points per game. Harris was named the CIAA Rookie of the Year after ranking second on the team with 12.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Harris also led the Golden Bulls with 43 made 3-pointers.
Fifth-year forward Le'Zarea Bowens made the All-CIAA Preseason Frontcourt Team despite missing most of last season. However, prior to the coronavirus pandemic Bowen played in 83 games for the Golden Bulls from 2017-2020. Bowens earned All-CIAA honors in 2019-20 when she averaged 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
FIU BENCH:
The Panthers posted a 15-16 record last season, going just 6-12 in Conference USA action. FIU was picked 10th out of 11 teams in the C-USA Preseason Poll.
Florida International will enter this season without its two double-digit scorers from last season, who both earned C-USA Honorable Mention accolades.
Sophomore Tanajah Hayes is FIU's top returning scorer at 9.3 points per game. Hayes also led the Panthers with 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a rookie. Classmate Zaida Gonzalez started 25 games last season and averaged 5.4 points per game.
FIU has added four transfers to help fill the void left by five departing seniors from last campaign, including Mihaela Lazic (South Florida), Kaliah Henderson (Saint Joseph's), Ajae Yoakum (Eastern Arizona) and Sariana Rodriguez (Florida SouthWestern). Henderson and Yoakum both averaged double-digit points over the last two seasons while Rodriguez averaged double figures at the juco level last season.
