DURHAM, N.C. – Senior guard Kira Lowery provided 13 points and four assists on her Senior Day as she helped guide the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team to a dramatic 56-51 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Howard University on Saturday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Lowery was recognized prior to tip-off and then she made a big step-back jumper while NCCU rallied past the Bison, 17-8, in the fourth quarter. Lowery also dished out two of her four assists in the surging last stanza.
 
The Eagles received several big performances down the stretch. Junior guard Kimeira Burks scored seven of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, including three consecutive free throws as at 4:47 mark to put the maroon and gray ahead for good. Sophomore forward Aniya Finger pulled down seven of her career-high 17 rebounds in the final 10 minutes while junior guard Tippy Robertson scored five points in the final frame, including a trio of free throws in the last minute to seal the W.
 
NC Central improved to 13-14 on the season, tying the program's NCAA Division I era record for wins in a season with 13 (matching a 13-win season in 2019-20). The Eagles also moved within one game of Howard (12-13, 8-4) in the conference standings after improving their league ledger to 7-5. NCCU also increased its home record to 9-4 on the campaign.
 
Howard led for most of the first half, including as many as 11 points late in the second quarter. However, a 3-pointer by junior Kimia Carter and a layup by Lowery in the last 60 seconds closed NCCU's deficit to six points, 33-27, at halftime.
 
Junior Destiny Howell helped pace the Bison over the first 20 minutes with a dozen points. Howell would only score four more points in the second half as the Eagles fought back. Howell's 16 points topped Howard's scorers.
 
After a low scoring third quarter, the Bison entered the final frame still clinging to a 43-39 edge. Howard was then held to just one basket in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter and eventually Robertson leveled the score on a pull-up jumper at the 5:46 mark. Less than a minute later, Burks was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer from the left wing and she cashed in all three freebees to propel the Eagles in front. The Bison got within one point one more time, but Burks poured in her fourth 3-pointer of the day from the right wing just 15 seconds later to keep NCCU ahead. Sophomore Morgan Callahan made a pair of free throws with 1:11 on the clock and Robertson made 3-of-4 attempts from the charity stripe in the final minute to clinch the five-point win.
 
Finger chipped in eight points and two blocks to go with her 17 rebounds while Robertson and Callahan each had six points. Callahan, Burks and Robertson all pulled down six boards.
 
NC Central will next host MEAC rival Norfolk State University in its last home game of the 2022-23 season when the Eagles and Spartans tip-off inside McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
 
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.