NORFOLK, Va. – Morgan Callahan scored 13 points and Aniya Finger added 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for North Carolina Central in a 58-45 MEAC women's basketball loss to Norfolk State at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall on Saturday.

Aysia Hinton added 11 points off the bench, including three three-pointers, as the trio combined for 35 points to keep the Eagles within striking distance. Finger made two free throws to tie the score at 35-35 midway in the third quarter but the Eagles were outscored 23-10 the rest of the game including 15-7 in the fourth quarter.

Callahan added six rebounds and four steals for the Eagles, who came into the contest on a two-game win streak. The NCCU forward is now 15 points away from becoming the program's career scoring leader in the Division I era. Finger posted a double-double in her second straight conference game.

Najah Lane matched Callahan with six rebounds and both Natalie Jasper and Amaya Harris contributed three steals. Dianna Blake pulled down five rebounds.

Behind Finger and Hinton, the Eagles held a 23-9 advantage in bench points and an 18-16 edge in the paint but were undone by cold shooting. They shot 23 percent from the floor which was their second-lowest field goal percentage this season.

The Spartans couldn't find the range, either. They  made only 31.5 percent of their shots but swished 20 of 30 free throws compared to 13 of 25 for the Eagles.

Both teams combined for six field goals in the fourth quarter but the Spartans relied on free throws and eight Eagles' turnovers to open a 12-point lead. They connected on 6 of 14 free throws in the final stanza.

NEXT UP
The Eagles will host Delaware State on Monday, Feb. 9, in the first of three home games this upcoming week. Game time will be 5:30 p.m.

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