VERMILLION, S.D. – Three players scored in double figures, and graduate forward
Morgan Callahan recorded a double-double, but the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team fell 61-54 to South Dakota Thursday evening at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
The Eagles fell to 0-7 on the season.
In recording her second double-double of the season, Callahan led the Eagles with 14 points, going 7-for-19 from the floor, and matched her season high with 10 boards. Sophomore guard Aysia Hinton also dropped 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting and three 3-pointers, while freshman guard Shakiria Foster added 12 points.
N.C. Central shot 31.0% (22-for-71) from the floor, struggling from both 3-point range and the free throw line.
In a game that was tied six times and featured 18 lead changes, the Eagles were up 15-14 after the first quarter after a Kyle Bryant layup with 39 seconds left in the frame. N.C. Central led again at the 4:25 mark of the second quarter, 23-21 after a Callahan layup, but the Coyotes answered with a 7-2 run to go up 28-25 just before the half.
A Foster layup as the clock wound down left South Dakota up 28-27 at the half.
While the Coyotes came out strong to start the third quarter, the Eagles clawed back to take a 35-34 lead with 2:48 left in the period after a Callahan layup. A 5-1 spurt gave the Coyotes the lead right back, and after 30 minutes, N.C. Central trailed 39-38.
A Callahan jumper with 5:37 remaining put the Eagles up 49-48 after the two teams went back and forth to open the fourth, before the Coyotes answered with a 10-2 run to take control of the game for good and go up 58-51 – their largest lead of the game.
From there, the Eagles couldn't get within one possession as the clock wound down.
South Dakota shot 32.1% (18-for-56) from the floor and went just 4-for-17 (23.5%) from behind the arc. The Coyotes held a 40-22 rebounding edge and was 21-for-23 (91.3%) from the free throw line.
Grace Larkins led South Dakota with 24 points.
The Eagles will be back in action on Monday, when they square off against rival North Carolina A&T in Corbett Sports Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will air live on FloCollege.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
