DURHAM, N.C. – Freshman Jada Tiggett swatted away a career-high seven blocks for the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team, but visiting Delaware State University outscored the Eagles 14-3 in overtime to secure a 75-64 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory on Monday evening inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Tiggett rejected the last DSU shot attempt of regulation in the final seconds to send the game into the five-minute OT period, but the Eagles were held without a made field goal for the final four minutes and the Hornets finished the contest on a 12-1 run.
 
Tiggett, who ranks as the top shot blocker in the league as a rookie, finished with seven rejections to tie the NCCU modern era record for individual blocks in a game. Tiggett matched seven blocks recorded by NCCU's Kiyana Brown against Coastal Carolina University on Dec. 1, 2018.
 
Delaware State (7-16 Overall, 3-7 MEAC) snapped a five-game losing streak with guard Denijsha Wilson scoring a game-high 21 points and freshman McKenzie Stewart leading all rebounders with 18 boards.
 
Wilson and Stewart each had six steals in the contest as NCCU committed 27 turnovers. The Hornets outscored the Eagles 24-7 on fast-break points as NCCU has turned over the ball at least 20 times in all three games during its current three-game skid.
 
Junior forward Morgan Callahan paced the maroon and gray with 16 points and eight rebounds. She was NCCU's only double-digit scorer. Sydney Avoletta topped NCCU's reserves with nine points.
 
The Hornets led 16-14 after the first quarter and 33-25 at halftime before NCCU used a big third quarter (22-15) to get back into the game. Callahan scored 12 points in the second half and senior guard Kimeira Burks scored all eight of her points after the intermission to give the Eagles a chance.
 
Junior Janiah Jones hit a 3-pointer with a little over three minutes left to put the hosts ahead by two-points, 59-57, but NCCU committed a turnover on each of its next three offensive possessions and DSU was able to do enough to force overtime.
 
Senior Ja'Naiah Perkins-Jackson scored nine of her 16 points in OT to provide the final spark for the Hornets. Perkins-Jackson made all three of her shot attempts, including a 3-pointer, and both of her free throws in overtime.
 
Delaware State finished with a 49-38 rebounding advantage and shot 88.2 percent from the free throw line compared to 52.6 percent by NCCU.
 
Sophomore Ray'ven Robinson distributed six assists for the Eagles.
 
NC Central (12-14, 6-5) will next travel to Baltimore, Maryland, for MEAC games at Coppin State University (Saturday, March 2) and Morgan State University (Monday, March 4).
 
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