Lady Pirates open MEAC play with win at Morgan State
BALTIMORE, Md. – Despite a late comeback from Morgan State, the Hampton University women’s basketball team picked up its first win of the season Monday night at the Talmadge Hill Field House, defeating the Bears 65-51.
The Lady Pirates improved to 1-7 overall and went to 1-0 in MEAC play.
Malia Tate-DeFreitas dropped a season-high 25 points, going 12-for-14 from the free throw line, to go along with her team-high four assists. Chanel Green added a career-high 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting.
Ryan Jordan grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
Mikayla Sayle came off the bench to score a career-high eight points, while also grabbing four rebounds and a team-high three steals in 21 minutes.
The Lady Pirates shot 44.0-percent (22-for-50) from the floor – including a 51.9-percent clip (14-for-27) in the first half – despite hitting just one of their nine 3-point attempts. Hampton also made 20 of its 26 free throws (76.9 percent).
Morgan State (2-7, 1-1 MEAC) shot 34.0-percent (16-for-47) from the floor and went 1-for-8 (12.5-percent) from 3-point range. The Bears shot just 27.8-percent (8-for-29) in the first half and turned the ball over 33 times -- resulting in 28 Hampton points.
Braennan Farrar led the Bears with 16 points.
The Lady Pirates will travel to No. 2 South Carolina on Wednesday, Dec. 16.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.morganstatebears.com
Lady Eagles Handed First League Loss by the Bison
DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Tisha Dixon netted a double-double, junior Morgan Jones swished a team-high 17 points and freshman Maya Jackson scored a season-high 12 points for host North Carolina Central University in a 68-61 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home loss to Howard University Monday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
The Bison used a big 29-point second quarter to take the lead for good and road 20-point performances from junior Sydni Johnson and senior Victoria Gonzales to earn their first win of the season.
Howard (1-9 Overall, 1-1 MEAC) shot 43.6-percent from the field and took advantage of eight less foul calls than the Lady Eagles by making 14 of 18 (77.8-percent) free throws to hand NCCU (1-6, 1-1) its first league loss.
The Lady Eagles held a 41-33 rebounding advantage, committed one less turnover (18-17) and took 12 more shots than Howard, but were still edged despite also shooting a season-best 37.3-percent from the floor.
For a third straight game, Jones notched a new season-high scoring total by cashing in 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Dixon filled up the box score with 13 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, two assists and one block. Dixon now has two double-doubles on the season and nine in her career. Jackson came off the bench for 12 points on 5 of 11 precision. Jones and senior Kristin Askew handed out five assists apiece and Morton chipped in six points and seven rebounds.
Freshman Shaylon Tarver provided Howard with a third scorer in double digits by knocking down 13 points. Sophomore Tajzhane Dopson orchestrated the visitor’s offense with a game-high eight assists.
NCCU steps back out of conference for four consecutive road games to conclude the calendar year, starting with Wofford University in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Tuesday, December 15 at 2 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.hubison.com
Lady Hawks overcome slow start to take down Aggies
GREENSBORO, N.C. – After a slow start in the first quarter, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women’s Basketball Team rallied from a 15-point deficit and knocked off Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Favorite North Carolina A&T State, 56-50, inside the Corbett Sports Center. As a result, UMES snapped the Aggies’ three-game winning streak.
Furthermore, the Lady Hawks picked up back-to-back wins against North Carolina A&T State for the first time since Coach Fred Batchelor took over the program in 2004.
Despite a tough shooting night, Maryland Eastern Shore relied heavily on their defense. Overall, the Aggies shot a season-low 29-percent (19-of-65) from the floor. North Carolina A&T State’s trio of All-MEAC Preseason selections, Christina Carter, Aprill McRae, and Adriana Nazario, combined for 16 points on 6-of-22 shooting from the field.
UMES’ five student-athletes from the Tar Hill State played a major part as they scored 33 of the team’s 56 points, led by freshman guard Ciani Byrom. Byrom gave the Lady Hawks a spark off the bench, finishing with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. Moengaroa Subritzky, who attended Thomasville Prep in North Carolina, netted 11 points and eight boards in 37 minutes of action.
Taryana Kelly tallying 11 rebounds, nine points, and two blocks. Most importantly, she slowed down the Aggies’ top scorer, McRae, and held her to only four points.
For North Carolina A&T State, Dana Brown was the lone Aggie in double-figures with a team-high 19 points. Nazario added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown in the loss.
This Wednesday (Dec. 9), the Lady Hawks conclude their four-game road swing in Pittsburgh where they will take on the Duquesne Dukes. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com or www.ncataggies.com