DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team wraps up its regular-season road slate with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) games at the current first and second place teams in the league standings when the Eagles visit Howard University on Saturday at 2 p.m., and Norfolk State University on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
 
GAME INFO:

GAME NOTES 22/23 at Howard & Norfolk St.
 
at Howard                                                         
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Burr Gymnasium, Washington, D.C.
WATCH: Bison Live
FOLLOW: Live Stats; @NCCUAthletics
 
at Norfolk State
DATE: Monday, Feb. 28 at 5:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Joseph Echols Hall, Norfolk, Va.
WATCH: Spartan Showcase  
FOLLOW: Live Stats; @NCCUAthletics
 
NC CENTRAL BENCH:                                                                                      
 
The Eagles went 1-1 at home last week, picking up a 73-49 win over Delaware State on Saturday before suffering a 77-64 loss to Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday. NCCU (4-17 Overall, 2-9 MEAC) is in seventh place out of eight teams in the conference standings and will need at least one win this week to have any chance at moving up in the standings.
 
Freshman guard Diamond Thomas was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week for a fourth consecutive week sixth total time after averaging 17.5 points per game in two home contests last week. Thomas, who has scored in double digits in 12 consecutive games, is ranked second in the MEAC in both scoring at 14.1 points per game and with 2.4 made 3-pointers per game. Thomas has reached 20-plus points four times and is averaging 17.7 points per game in league tilts.
 
Sophomore forward Tianna Carter posted her fourth double-double of the season in Saturday's win against the Hawks. Carter, who is second on the team with 9.6 points per game, is third in the MEAC with 7.4 rebounds per game.
 
NCCU has regularly been starting senior forward Ashlyn Lockard (8.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG), junior guard Kira Lowery (7.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 SPG) and sophomore guard Taylor Williams (3.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG) the last few weeks. Sophomore guard Paris McBride (5.7 PPG, 2.4 AGP, 2.1 SPG) has been leading NCCU's reserves.
                                                                                                                         
HOWARD BENCH:
 
The Bison has moved into first place in the league standings after winning their last eight games, including home games against Morgan State (W, 81-63) and Coppin State (W, 70-67) last week. Howard (15-8 Overall, 9-2 MEAC), the preseason favorites in the league, controls its own destiny and can clinch the regular season title by winning its last three games.
 
The sophomore duo of Destiny Howell and Anzhane' Hutton are Howard's two double-digit scorers with averages of 12.3 and 11.7 points per game. Hutton, who leads the MEAC with 7.8 rebounds per game and fourth in the league with 1.2 blocks per game, is a Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection. Howell is one of three players in the MEAC, along with NCCU's Diamond Thomas, who is averaging over two made 3-pointers per game on the season on the way to becoming the top scorer for the Bison.
 
Junior Iyanna Warren joins Howell and Hutton for the most starts for Howard at 19 starts apiece and she is contributing 8.9 points per game to go along with a MEAC-best 4.6 assists per game and team-best 1.6 steals per game.
 
Warren and sophomore Kaiya Creek were both Preseason All-MEAC Second Team honorees. Creek, who was a MEAC All-Rookie Team selection last year, is tallying four points and three rebounds per game as a sophomore.
 
NORFOLK STATE BENCH:
 
The Spartans have fallen out of first place in the league standings after dropping a pair of games in Baltimore to Coppin State (L, 48-56) and Morgan State (L, 48-51) last week. Norfolk State (12-10 Overall, 8-3) can play for at least share of the regular season league title in its season finale against Howard with wins on Saturday against South Carolina State and on Monday against the Eagles.
 
Junior guard Deja Francis, who transferred to NSU from St. Bonaventure, has moved into the team lead in scoring (12.9 PPG) after averaging 16.4 points per game against conference competition. Francis ranks fifth in the MEAC with 2.8 assists per game, but is delivering a team-best 3.4 assists per game in league games.
 
Senior guard Camille Downs ranks just behind Francis with 12.3 points per game and they rank third and sixth in the MEAC, respectively, in points per game. Downs does lead the conference with 3.1 steals per game.
 
A couple more transfers in sophomore forward Tatiana Jones (Gulf Coast State; 9.6 PPG; 6.4 RPG) and sophomore forward Mahoganie Williams (Trinity Valley & Louisiana Tech; 9.5 PPG; 6.8 RPG) are both averaging over nine points and six rebounds per game. Williams also leads the league by a wide margin with 2.5 blocks per game, which ranks 14th nationally.
 
SERIES:
                                         
In their first two meeting in two season, the Howard Bison defeated the Eagles 66-55 on Jan. 29. Hutton led the victors with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds while Howell followed with 11 points. Thomas scored her season-high point total in that contest, pouring in 27 points with six made 3-pointers. Howard leads the all-time series, 12-2.
 
Norfolk State opened up league play for both teams with an 80-70 road win at NCCU on Jan. 10. Downs deposit a season-best 28 points in that triumph, while adding eight rebounds and three steals. Francis contributed 12 points and six assists for the Spartans. Thomas paced four double-digit scorers for the Eagles with 18 points. Lockard added 15 points and seven rebounds while Carter also flirted with a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.