DURHAM, N.C. – Seven Eagles scored in double digits as the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team set modern era records for most points scored and margin of victory in a 108-39 non-conference win over Virginia University of Lynchburg on Wednesday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
The 108 points is a new NCAA Division I era record for the Eagles, topping a 101-point outing against Johnson & Wales University last season. The 69-point triumph also surpasses a pair of 67-point victories last season (JWU and St. Andrews University).
NC Central ends non-conference play with a 6-9 overall record. The six wins are the most non-conference victories by the Eagles since they joined the MEAC at the start of the 2011-12 season. NCCU's sixth win of the season also surpasses its win total from last season (5-20).
All nine active players scored multiple baskets for the maroon and gray, including seven reaching the 10-plus point plateau in a balanced scoring blowout.
Sophomore
Aniya Finger led the Eagles with 19 points. Sophomore
Nia Ford scored a season-best 15 points; sophomore
Morgan Callahan netted 14 points; junior
Kimeira Burks deposited 13 points; sophomore
Sydney Avoletta cashed in a season-high 12 points; junior
Blessing Okoh and freshman
Jerni Kiaku each tallied 10 points; senior
Kira Lowery finished with nine points; and junior
Tippy Robertson chipped in six points.
A trio of Eagles tallied double-doubles as NCCU finished with a staggering 67-25 rebounding advantage. Finger recorded her team leading third double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. Callahan pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Okoh corralled 10 rebounds for a second consecutive outing for her second double-double of the campaign. Callahan and Finger both set new season-best rebounding totals.
NCCU made 27 steals in the contest, with Ford leading the aggressive NCCU defense with seven thefts, as the Eagles scored 45 points on the fast break.
Lowery and Kiaku each handed out six assists and the Eagles distributed 25 dimes on their 46 made field goals. Finger accounted for two of NCCU's six blocks.
After trading the first two baskets of the game, NCCU scored the next 12 points and never trailed in the contest. The Eagles led 27-11 after the first quarter, 47-22 at halftime and 75-37 at the end of the third quarter. NCCU then outscored Virginia Lynchburg 33-2 in the fourth quarter to set the new DI era records.
The Dragons were led by junior Renee Clines (16 points, five steals) and freshman Nysheia Miller (12 points, six rebounds, three assists).
NC Central will next begin Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play with a road trip to Baltimore, Maryland, to play Morgan State University (Saturday, 2 p.m.) and Coppin State University (Monday, 5:30 p.m.).
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
