Bethune-Cookman Opens Home Stand with Victory of Maryland Eastern Shore
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Lady Wildcats (6-13, 3-4 MEAC) scored a season-high 78 points in dropping Maryland Eastern Shore (3-13, 0-5 MEAC) for the third win in the last four games, delivering the 78-70 victory on Saturday afternoon at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium.
B-CU’s 78 points were the highest scoring output of the season and the Lady Wildcats are now on the rise, winning three of the last four contests over the past two weeks.
For the third time in the last six games, point guard Shakeyia Colyer led the scoring effort, tallying 24 points on 50 percent shooting, in addition to dishing out five assists. Over the course of the last six contests, the Sanford, Fla. redshirt senior has put up 110 points.
Chastity René Taylor made numbers by putting up 15 points, including 40 percent from three point range. Surging over the past four games, sophomore Taylor Houston was big in the second half, scoring a career-best 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds.
Despite limited minutes, Kailyn Williams continued her streak, notching her seventh consecutive game with a block. In fact, she had four against UMES, bringing her season total to 54, which ranks as the third best B-CU season blocked shots total. In just 20 minutes, the New Orleans redshirt freshman racked up seven points and eight rebounds.
Junior guard Jessica Long notched a team-high 17 points for Maryland Eastern Shore, while sophomore forward Ashleigh Claybrooks recorded another double-double on the season, 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lady Wildcats continue their four-game home stand at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at Moore Gym, as Howard (7-11, 3-2 MEAC) comes to town after a doubled-up drubbing in Tallahassee, falling to Florida A&M 87-42.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.umeshawks.com
North Carolina Central unable to pull off comeback upset over Coppin State
DURHAM, N.C. – Despite going on a 12-2 run during the final 46 seconds of the game to cut the deficit to five, the North Carolina Central University women’s basketball team (7-11, 2-3 MEAC) dropped a 67-58 decision to the Coppin State Eagles (8-10, 5-1 MEAC) on Saturday, Jan. 25 inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.
Redshirt senior Jessica Freeman led the Lady Eagles offensively for the 10th time this season collecting a game-high 18 points on 4-for-14 shooting from the field, 2-for-10 from behind the arc and 8-for-8 from the charity stripe while also earning a game-high five steals.
Junior Racquel Davis added her seventh double-double of the season to the NCCU shortcoming with 15 points and 12 boards in addition to Khyra Conerly’s 12 points, four assists and four steals.
The visiting Eagles were led by the senior trio Larrisa Carter, Ashle Craig and Kyra Coleman. Carter finished with a team-best 18 points and game-best 14 boards while Craig added 15 points and seven assists and Coleman chipped in 10 points and six helpers.
As a team, NCCU shot 16-for-47 from the field, 2-for-14 from behind the arc and 24-for-32 from the free throw line while pulled down 30 rebounds, dishing eight assists and collected 12 steals and one block.
The Lady Eagles wrap up their four-game road stand on Monday, Jan. 27 as NCCU welcomes the Morgan State Lady Bears to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium during a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Norfolk State holds off South Carolina State, 59-54
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Junior Rae Corbo tallied 17 points to score in double figures for the sixth game straight to lift Norfolk State over South Carolina State 59-54 on Saturday afternoon at SHM Memorial Hall.
The Spartans improved to 9-9 overall and 5-2 in conference play while S.C. State fell to 5-11 on the season and 3-3 in the MEAC.
The Spartans shot only 41.7 percent (20-of-48) from the field for the game. Corbo led the team in scoring with 17 points. Rachel Gordon posted her fifth straight double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Gordon’s 11 rebounds put her at fourth place all-time in career rebounding at NSU with 945 rebounds. She needs 56 more boards to pass Sharon Wallace for first place.
The Spartans return to action on Monday against Savannah State. Game time is at 4 p.m. at Tiger Arena in Savannah, Ga.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.scsuathletics.com
Lady Pirates stifle Savannah State on the road
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Host Savannah State couldn’t buy a basket in the opening 20 minutes on Saturday at Tiger Arena, and the Hampton University women’s basketball team took full advantage en route to a 70-46 win.
The Lady Pirates (15-4, 6-0 MEAC) have won their last 36 games against MEAC foes, and they have not lost since the start of the new calendar year – a streak of five games.
Senior forward Alyssa Bennett led four Lady Pirates in double figures with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, and she finished one rebound shy of her eighth double-double of the season. Freshman guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas added 15 points.
Junior guard Kenia Cole and senior guard Nicole Hamilton each added 11 points and four assists.
The Lady Pirates shot 40.7 percent (22-for-54) from the floor and made five of their 16 3-pointers (31.3 percent). Hampton held a 43-39 advantage on the glass, and the Lady Pirates turned Savannah State over 22 times.
Savannah State (11-9, 4-2 MEAC) shot just 28.3 percent (17-for-60) from the floor and went just 3-for-16 (18.8 percent) from behind the arc. The Tigers also went just 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from the free throw line.
Ezinne Kalu led the Tigers with 15 points, despite going just 4-for-16 from the floor.
The Lady Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they head to Orangeburg, S.C. to take on South Carolina State at 5:30 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.ssuathletics.com
Lady Aggies’ Bite Is Worse Than Bark; Defeat Morgan State, 78-48
GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina A&T’s Debbie Smith came off the bench to score a game-high 14 points to lead four Lady Aggies in double figures scoring, as N.C. A&T defeated Morgan State, 78-48 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game on Saturday afternoon at the Corbett Sports Center.
The host Lady Aggies improved to 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the MEAC on the season, while Morgan State (2-16, 0-5 MEAC) dropped its ninth straight contest.
Tracy King finished with 13 points and Aprill McRae tallied 11 points and had a game-high eight rebounds. Temitope Oladele scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Aggies, who improved to 7-0 at home.
Junior Tracey Carrington, who entered the contest as the MEAC’s leading scorer, led the Lady Bears with 13 points. It was just the third time in the last 11 games this season that Carrington had been held to under 20 points. Freshman Danielle Robinson scored a season-best 11 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, while fellow freshman Ivy Harrington added 10 points and set a career-high eight rebounds.
Morgan State will now travel to Durham, N.C. to take on North Carolina Central on Monday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. North Carolina Central (7-11, 2-3 MEAC) dropped a 67-58 decision at home to Coppin State on Saturday. The Lady Bears will look to avoid their first 10-game losing skid of the season and the first since the 2011-12 squad dropped 10 straight twice that season.
For complete story, visit www.morganstatebears.com or www.ncataggies.com
FAMU snaps two-game skid with 87-42 win over Howard, Saturday
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida A&M Women’s Basketball team snapped their two-game losing streak with a 87-42 over Howard University, here Saturday afternoon at the Al Lawson Center in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest.
FAMU (9-11, 3-4 MEAC) was paced by Jasmine Grice as she score a game high 34 points to lead all scorers. Kimberly Sparkman added 26 points as she connected on seven-on-nine three pointers from behind the arc, while Taneka Rubin finished with 11. Both Tierra Prothro and Rubin finished with eight boards each to lead the Lady Rattler, while Sparkman dished out a team high four assists.
HU (7-11, 3-2 MEAC) was led by Victoria Gonzalez with 14 points and six boards to lead the Lady Bison.
FAMU jumped out to a 21-11 lead on a Grice free throw with 11:52 to in the first.
The Lady Rattlers finished the game shooting 43.1 percent (31-of-72), while HU shot 31.0 percent (18-of-58).
FAMU will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 1 as they will host South Carolina State at the Al Lawson Center in a MEAC matchup in a 4 p.m. start.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.hubison.com