DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women's basketball team held leads of 38-32 at halftime and 56-51 at the end of the third quarter, but host Morgan State University outscored the Eagles 30-15 in the fourth quarter to earn an 81-71 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win in the league opener for both squads on Saturday afternoon.
 
A trio of Eagles scored in double digits, including a team-high 14 points by freshman Jerni Kiaku. Junior Taylor Williams returned to NCCU's lineup and scored 13 points while sophomore Morgan Callahan continued her consistent play with 11 points.
 
Morgan State (8-6 Overall, 1-0 MEAC) shot 57.1 percent in the fourth quarter and held the Eagles to 29.4 percentage accuracy in the final period to complete the comeback. Fifth-year forward Charlene Shephard scored a career-high 26 points and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds to pace the victorious Bears.
 
The hosts scored the first nine points of the game and led throughout the first quarter. However, NCCU outscored MSU 24-17 in the second quarter to catapult into its six-point halftime lead. Kiaku scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half and Callahan scored nine of her 11 points over that same span to help the Eagles fly ahead at the midway point.
 
The visitors maintained a single-digit lead throughout the third quarter before the Bears made their dramatic surge. Morgan State scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to quickly jump in front and the Bears led for the final eight minutes.
 
NCCU had its deepest lineup of the season so far with 11 active players and they all scored in the conference opener. Junior Kimia Carter scored six points in her season debut, joining senior Kira Lowery and junior Kimeira Burks with a half dozen points apiece.
 
Lowery also led the maroon and gray with four assists.
 
MSU finished with a 43-35 rebounding edge, despite a team-best eight rebounds by NCCU junior Blessing Okoh. The Bears also did a better job at the free throw line, making 23 of their 31 attempts (74.2%) compared to NCCU's 14 made free throws on 24 tries (58.3%).
 
NC Central (6-10 Overall, 0-1 MEAC) will next play at Coppin State University on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
 
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