DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University women’s basketball has announced its 2014-15 schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 16, as head coach Vanessa Taylor enters her third season with the program.
In addition to playing 18 games in the state of North Carolina, the slate includes matchups with four teams that advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament: Winthrop, South Carolina, Syracuse and Hampton, with South Carolina advancing to the Sweet 16 a year ago.
The Lady Eagles open the regular season with three road matchups at Western Carolina (Nov. 14), Campbell (Nov. 17) and Gardner-Webb (Nov. 22).
NCCU will host back-to-back home contests with Winthrop (Nov. 25) and UNC Asheville (Nov. 28) to kick off the home schedule in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.
The month of December takes the Lady Eagles on the road for six-straight games including the opening of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. NCCU travels to South Carolina (Dec. 1), followed by the MEAC road-swing at Maryland Eastern Shore (Dec. 6) and Howard (Dec. 8).
The Lady Eagles travel to Blacksburg, Va., to face Virginia Tech on Dec. 10, followed by a trip taking senior Nikki Works back home to Syracuse, N.Y., to face the Orange on Dec. 14. NCCU rounds out the road stretch in Conway, S.C., on Dec. 17 at Coastal Carolina.
Heading into the holiday break, the Lady Eagles host Presbyterian in Durham on Dec. 20.
McDougald-McLendon Gym will then host five-straight contests, including two conference games. NCCU hosts Virginia of Lynchburg (Dec. 31), Bluefield State (Jan. 3) and wraps up non-conference play with Wofford (Jan. 6).
The Lady Eagles feature home MEAC games versus South Carolina State (Jan. 10), Savannah State (Jan. 12), Delaware State (Jan. 24), Coppin State (Jan. 26), Florida A&M (Feb. 2), Morgan State (Feb. 21), Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 28) and North Carolina A&T (March 5).
On the road, NCCU takes on Norfolk State (Jan. 17), Hampton (Jan. 19), North Carolina A&T (Feb. 7), Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 14), Florida A&M (Feb. 16) and Savannah State (March 2).
The MEAC Tournament will be held March 9-14, in Norfolk, Va., at the Norfolk Scope Arena.