DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team will play Western Carolina University for the first time since 2014 when the Eagles tipoff against the Catamounts on ESPN+ in Cullowhee on Monday at 7 p.m.
GAME INFO:
GAME NOTES 12 at Western Carolina
at Western Carolina
DATE: Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, N.C.
WATCH:
ESPN+
FOLLOW:
Live Stats;
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL BENCH:
The Eagles netted a dramatic 72-70 home win in their last game, defeating Appalachian State University for the first time in program history on Thursday. NC Central (4-7 Overall) have been traveling a lot early in the season and are 1-6 on the road. The Eagles will finally be playing their first road game in their home state after having already tipped off in seven other states.
Freshman guard
Jerni Kiaku has scored in double digits in six her first 11 collegiate games, including a team-high 20 points in Thursday's win over the Mountaineers, to lead the maroon and gray with an average of 11.3 points per game. Kiaku also paces the Eagles with 2.2 steals per contest.
NCCU's next five top scorers are all averaging within three points of each other. Senior guard
Kira Lowery (9.9 PPG) has been hot for the Eagles lately, scoring a career-high 22 points at Memphis and then hitting the game-winning basket in the final seconds against App State. Junior guard Kimeira Buks (917 PPG) leads NCCU with 23 made 3-pointers in 11 contests. Junior forward
Aniya Finger (8.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG), junior wing
Blessing Okoh (7.0, 5.0 RPG) and sophomore forward
Morgan Callahan (7.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG) are the top three rebounders for the Eagles.
Junior guard
Tippy Robertson (4.8 PPG) leads the squad with an average of three assists per contest. Finger tops NCCU with 1.3 blocks per game, but has not played in the last two games. Junior
Taylor Williams (3.8 PPG) scored a season-high 14 points against the Mountaineers.
The Eagles are 2-3 all-time against Western Carolina, but NCCU has won the last two meetings. The two programs will be playing each other for the first time since November of 2014.
WESTERN CAROLINA BENCH:
The Catamounts have alternated wins and losses in their last six games and are coming off a 69-51 home triumph over Montreat College on Dec. 11. Western Carolina (6-6 Overall) sports a 5-1 home ledger.
Fifth-year guard Kyla Allison is Western Carolina's top scorer at 11.2 points per game while providing the team averages of 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per contest.
Junior guard Mya Love is a transfer from Arkansas State and she is averaging 9.4 points per game in her first season at WCU. Another transfer in sophomore guard Shayane Poirot-Allard (Nebraska CC) has made a team-best 17 three-pointers on the way to an average of 8.7 points per game and she leads the team with 3.0 assists per game. Junior guard Joi Reid – a 2022 Southern Conference All-Defensive Team selection – paces the Catamounts with 6.3 rebounds. Junior guard/forward Audrey Meyers follows with 5.0 rebounds per game while topping WCU with 1.3 steals and 0.4 blocks per game.
