BALTIMORE, Md. – North Carolina Central, riding a two-game win streak, goes to Coppin State for its MEAC women's basketball opener at the Physical Education Complex Arena on Saturday. ESPN+ will show the 2 p.m. game between the MEAC foes.

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The Eagles (2-12 overall) enter the contest battle-tested after a challenging non-conference slate which included games against nationally-ranked LSU, Tennessee and North Carolina in addition to Georgia, Clemson and Florida State. NCCU has found success recently with back-to-back wins over Winthrop (76-71) and Furman (77-76).

The Furman win was a thriller. Kaya Bryant scored on a jumper with three seconds left to lift the Eagles to victory at home on Dec. 30. Furman was 9-5 overall before the NCCU loss.

NCCU, picked fourth in the MEAC preseason standings, looks to extend its win streak against Coppin State. NCCU swept the season series in 2024 – 53-48 at home and 52-44 on the road – to make it four in a row over Coppin State.

Kyla Bryant leads three NCCU double-figure scorers. The sophomore guard averages 11.9 points and nearly three assists per game. Graduate forward Morgan Callahan averages 11.1 points a clip and a team-high 6.5 rebounds. Freshman guard Shakiria Foster averages 10.9 points per game.

Coppin State (9-7 overall), sparked by Laila Lawrence, is picked third in the MEAC Predicted Order of Finish. The senior forward is the MEAC's top scorer (18.2 ppg) and rebounder (10.1 rpg) heading into conference play. Angel Jones (14.4 ppg) is the Eagles' other double-figure scorer.

Lawrence posted 27 points and 10 rebounds in Coppin State's last game, a 66-55 non-conference loss at Maine on Dec. 29. 

The Eagles' matchup against Coppin State is the first of two games in three days. After Saturday, NCCU will take on Morgan State in Baltimore, Md., on Monday (Jan. 6) at 5:30 p.m.