DURHAM, N.C. – Victoria Morris collected 20 points and 11 rebounds as North Carolina Central rallied late to edge Fayetteville State 60-56 in a women's basketball thriller at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Monday.
NCCU evened its record at 2-2 overall while the contest was an exhibition game for Fayetteville State.
The Broncos led 55-50 around the three-minute mark but the Eagles closed out the game with a 10-1 run to earn their first victory over Fayetteville State as a full Division I member. The meeting was the 39th between the two programs.
Morris keyed the final run with two points, three rebounds and one assist to cap her finest performance as an Eagle. Her offensive rebound in the closing moments helped preserve a slim NCCU lead late in the game.
Kenadi Banks swished a key three-pointer and Eboni Clay knocked down five of six free throws down the stretch to hold off the Broncos.
Morris recorded the first double-double of her career while adding five assists and five steals. She led the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Chloe Crawford and Banks added nine points apiece while Aaliyah Grant pulled down nine rebounds. Broncosipped in three steals.
The Eagles connected on 17 of 25 free throws and dominated the boards 47-26 to hold off the scrappy Broncos, a perennial CIAA and Division II tournament contender. NCCU also outshot its opponent 40 percent to 36.7 percent. The Broncos led much of the second half by converting 19 NCCU turnovers into 22 points.
The matchup featured the intensity of a late-season showdown reminiscent of previous battles between the teams when the Eagles were a Division II member in the CIAA. The contest featured ebbs and flows which kept an energetic crowd in suspense.
Both teams misfired often in the first half except for Morris, who scored 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting to spark the Eagles to a 29-23 halftime lead. She scored eight points in the first quarter as NCCU led 16-9.
But Fayetteville State seized the momentum in the second half with a 14-3 run. They led 43-40 heading into the final quarter.
Grant tied the score at 50-50 on a nifty layup before the Broncos responded with a 5-0 spurt for a 55-50 lead. However, the Eagles prevailed with a run of their own for the victory.
The Eagles own a two-game winning streak in the series. This was their first matchup against the Broncos since 2008.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will make the short trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., on Wednesday to visit North Carolina at 7 p.m.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
