DURHAM, N.C. – Freshman guard Jerni Kiaku scored a season-high 25 points to pace the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team in a 72-55 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home win over South Carolina State University on Saturday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Kiaku had a hot hand for the Eagles, swishing eight of her 10 field goal attempts (80%) and nine of her 10 free throw attempts (90%) on the way to her highest scoring game of her rookie campaign yet. Kiaku, who also had three assists and three rebounds in NCCU's league home opener, has scored in double digits in 12 of her first 18 collegiate contests, including her last six games.
 
NC Central (7-11 Overall, 1-2 MEAC) earned its first league victory of the season and improved to 5-3 at home this season. SC State (1-15, 0-1) was playing its first conference clash.
 
The Bulldogs had the Eagles doubled up early at 10-5 before NCCU closed the first quarter on a 14-2 run to take a seven-point lead after 10 minutes of play. That advantage grew to 17-points, 37-20, after the Eagles controlled the second quarter by a 10-point margin (18-8).
 
Kiaku, a fourth-time MEAC Rookie of the Week so far this season, led the maroon and gray at the intermission with 12 points.
 
NCCU maintained a double-digit cushion throughout the second half and led by as many as 27 points before settling for the 17-point triumph.
 
The Eagles shot 45 percent from the field and 93.8 percent from the free throw line. NCCU also forced the Bulldogs into 24 turnovers.
 
Junior Kimeira Burks scored 12 points for the Eagles, including two of NCCU's three made 3-pointers. Sophomore Aniya Finger followed with eight points, senior Kira Lowery scored all seven of her points in the first half and sophomore Morgan Callahan and junior Tippy Robertson both chipped in six points.
 
Callahan grabbed a team-high six rebounds, Finger recorded three blocks and Robertson dished out three assists.
 
Sophomore Nicole Gwynn led SCSU with 18 points and six rebounds.
 
NC Central will continue its three-game homestand when the Eagles next host Delaware State University on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.
 
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