Late Run Ends NCCU’s Upset Bid over North Carolina A&T State
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Junior Morgan Jones scored her game-high 20th point on a made free throw with 5:34 left to give North Carolina Central University a late 46-45 lead but host North Carolina A&T State University responded with a 15-0 run to pull away for a 60-48 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory Thursday evening in the Corbett Sports Center.
The Aggies, who finish the regular season 16-11 overall and 12-4 in the league, clinched a share of the MEAC regular season title with Bethune-Cookman.
The Lady Eagles (5-22, 3-13) will enter the 2016 MEAC Tournament at the Norfolk Scope Arena as the No. 12 seed and will play fifth-seeded Morgan State University in the opening round on Monday, March 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Junior Dana Brown led the Aggies closing 15-0 run with a pair of made 3-pointers. Brown scored 15 of her team-high 19 points in the second half, including four treys after the intermission. Senior Aprill McRae finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Jones reached the 20-point plateau for the second time this season and had NCCU’s only made 3-pointer. The Lady Eagles shot 25.4-percent from the field compared to 31.6-percent by the Aggies.
For more information visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.ncataggies.com
Hendrix Sets 3-Pointer Single Season Record In Savannah State Victory
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior guard Kenyata Hendrix recorded a game-high five made 3-point baskets to give her 59 made 3-pointers this season to set the 3-pointer school record for a single season in the Division I era as the Savannah State University women’s basketball team (10-18, 7-9 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) defeated Florida A&M (15-14, 9-7 MEAC) 65-46 in the final home game of the season in Tiger Arena Thursday.
Hendrix beat the previous record of 55 made 3-pointers by Kermetris Hill during the 2004-05 season and has made 140 career 3-pointers, which ranks second in school history and needs 14 made 3-point field goals to set the school record.
The Carrollton, Ga., native recorded a game-high 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the floor, including 5-for-7 from the 3-point line with three rebounds and three assists. The 23 points gives her 872 career points, which moves her into sixth place in school history.
Junior guard Rhianna Warren added 10 points and six rebounds with two assists and three steals, while junior forward Jeremica Edwards added nine points on 4-for-6 shooting from the floor with five rebounds. Junior center Tiyonda Davis added six rebounds, three blocks and three steals, while sophomore forward Jada Young added seven points on 3-for-5 shooting from the floor with two rebounds.
The Rattlers were led by Khadejra Young with 15 points and added six rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Victoria Nguyen added eight points and five rebounds and Olivia Antilla added seven points and four rebounds. Alicia McCray led the team with eight rebounds.
For more information visit www.ssuathletics.com or www.famuathletics.com
Bench Lifts Lady Eagles In Road Win At Delaware State
DOVER, Del. - The Lady Eagles bench had 22 points in a 54-49 road victory against Delaware State University on Thursday, March 3rd in the regular season finale. Senior Jordan Swails had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for Coppin State.
Jordan Swails netted her fourth double-double of the season finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Tanaysa Henderson also came off the bench and scored eight points with seven rebounds. Starters Amber Griffin and Keena Samuels each scored 11 points. Griffin made the Lady Eagles only three pointer of the game and came away with four steals. Samuels also had four steals and grabbed seven rebounds.
Coppin State ends their regular season with a 13-15 overall record. They move up to 5th in the MEAC standings and will await the seeding for next week's MEAC Women's Basketball Tournament.
For more information visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.dsuhornets.com
Norfolk State Holds Off Hampton
NORFOLK, Va. - It's been a MEAC season of close, but not quite for the Norfolk State women's basketball team at times.
Coming into Thursday's regular-season finale, eight of the Spartans' 13 MEAC losses had come by single digits. But against its biggest rival, on Senior Night, NSU (3-23, 3-13) broke through in a big way, knocking Hampton out of a first-place tie and sending the Spartans into postseason play in style with a 71-66 triumph.
Kayla Roberts had 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, redshirt senior Siobhan Beslow added 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, and Koryn Lawrence and Yazmen Hannah scored 12 points each for NSU.
The Spartans also played strong defense throughout. Hampton guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas, the MEAC's leading scorer, had 29 points, but shot just 11-of-30 from the floor - reminiscent of last year's NSU victory on the same floor, which incidentally came by the same score as Thursday's victory. Tate-DeFreitas was the only Hampton player to score in double figures.
NSU shot 41 percent from the floor (25-of-61) and 82 percent (18-of-22) from the free-throw line while holding Hampton to 35 percent shooting (26-of-74). The Spartans also held a 46-39 edge on the glass, their fourth straight game outrebounding an opponent.
Roberts notched her sixth double-double of the year, hitting 7-of-12 from the floor while also adding three blocks and three assists. Beslow set a career-high with her five blocks, giving NSU eight on the night. She was also 6-of-8 from the floor.
Lawrence finished with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Hannah tallied four rebounds and three assists.
Kaylah Lupoe and Mikayla Sayle added nine points each for Hampton.
For more information visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.hamptonpirates.com