No early rest for the N.C. Central women

Photo: NCCU Head Women's Basketball Coach Joli D. Robinson

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

Joli Robinson couldn't get practice started quite early enough for her N.C. Central women's basketball team.

McLendon-McDougald Gym wasn't available over the weekend because of homecoming festivities, so the Eagles couldn't get started preparing for their first season of Division I competition on Friday when most teams did.

But they were ready to go at 5:15 on Monday. That's 5:15 a.m., and players were required to be on site by 4:45. That pattern will be the pattern for four weeks.

"I never get that much sleep during the season anyway," said Robinson, who will enter her 13th season with a 181-135 record that includes four 20-win seasons including a 26-6 mark and a CIAA title last season.

She may be getting even less sleep this season. The Eagles will be facing 14 Division I foes in 26 games, with all of those games on the road. The biggest challenges are in their season opener, Nov. 9 at UNC (34-4 last season), and their Jan. 3 game at Duke (32-2).

"Those are games we need to play," Robinson said of the local challenges. "They should be good experiences for our student-athletes."

The measuring-stick game may be on Nov. 20 when NCCU travels to traditional MEAC power Coppin State (25-8 last season) in a battle of Eagles. The two shared the Black College National championship.

NCCU lost some major firepower from last season, as all-time leading scorer Cassie King (16.5 points per game, 7.9 rebounds) finished her career and had her jersey retired. Additionally, both sophomore LaQuanda Williams (14.2, 5.6) and classmate Jasmine Newkirk (11.2, 3.2) will miss this season because of separate violations of team policy.

But Robinson is most concerned about the road, where NCCU will play all but six games including the first 10.

"We'll just have to get used to it," the coach said.

And they'll be going as far away as Tallahassee, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; Pittsburgh; and Wilberforce, Ohio by bus.

"I'd rather go by bus than fly," Robinson said. "That way you have more control over when you leave."

The Eagles return six of their top nine scorers, led by sophomore center Jori Nwachukwu (11.7, 9.3). Guards Jennifer Hukill (5.9, 1.1) and Jordan High alumna Casey Daniel (4.6, 1.8) are the only seniors. Guards LaVonna Hailey (5.7, 5.6 assists) and Northern alumna Tonia Roundtree (4.2, 2.4 rebs.) are juniors and post player Latoya Bennett (4.0, 3.3 rebs) a sophomore.

"We're all going to have to score more," Hukill said. "I know I have to step up my game and show I can do things other than shoot 3-pointers."

Robinson said 6-0 center Losamo Osby from Richmond, Va., and 5-9 guard Shanice Blanks of Wilmington New Hanover have been the most impressive of the current freshmen.

"They're all looking pretty good," Roundtree said of the newcomers. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of this season. Some people are expecting us to get blown out, so we don't have anything to lose."

NOTES -- The Eagles will have two exhibition games -- at home against Virginia State on Nov. 3 and at Wake Forest on Nov. 7 -- before taking on the Blue Devils. ... Daniel is in her fourth season with the Eagles. If NCCU wins at least 14 games, she will become the first player in school history to participate in four straight winning seasons.

2007-08 NCCU Women's Basketball Schedule

Day Date Opponent Location Time/Result Record

SAT. NOV. 03 VIRGINIA STATE (EXHIBITION) DURHAM, NC 2:00 PM
Wed. Nov. 7 at Wake Forest (Exhibition) Winston-Salem, NC 7:00 pm
Fri. Nov. 9 at North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 8:30 pm
Mon. Nov. 12 at Elon Elon, NC 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 14 at Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD 7:00 pm
Fri. Nov. 16 at Appalachian State Boone, NC 7:00 pm
Tues. Nov. 20 at Coppin State Baltimore, MD 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 21 at Morgan State Baltimore, MD 5:30 pm
Fri. Nov. 23 vs Lenoir-Rhyne (Catawba Classic) Salisbury, NC 6:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 24 at Catawba (Catawba Classic) Salisbury, NC 4:00 pm
Thurs. Nov. 29 at Tennessee State Nashville, TN 7:00 pm
Wed. Dec. 5 at Armstrong Atlantic Savannah, GA 7:00 pm
FRI. DEC. 7 ELIZABETH CITY STATE
(Lady Eagle Classic)
Fayetteville State vs. Barton - 7:30 pm DURHAM, NC 5:30 PM
SAT. DEC. 8 FAYETTEVILLE STATE
(Lady Eagle Classic)
Barton vs. Elizabeth City State - 2:00 pm DURHAM, NC 4:00 PM
Sat. Dec. 15 at Florida A&M Tallahassee, FL 2:00 pm
Mon. Dec.17 at Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, FL 5:30 pm
Sat. Dec. 22 at Towson Towson, MD 2:00 pm
SUN. DEC. 30 MERCY COLLEGE DURHAM, NC 2:00 PM
Thurs. Jan. 3 at Duke Durham, NC 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 5 at High Point High Point, NC 7:00 pm
Mon. Jan. 7 at Duquesne Pittsburgh, PA 7:00 pm
WED. JAN. 9 NORFOLK STATE DURHAM, NC 6:30 PM
Sat. Jan. 12 at West Virginia Tech Montgomery, WV 6:00 pm
SAT. JAN. 19 WEST VIRGINIA TECH DURHAM, NC 2:00 PM
Mon. Feb. 4 at Fayetteville State Fayetteville, NC 7:00 pm
Wed. Feb. 6 at Central State Wilberforce,OH 7:00 pm
Fri. Feb. 8 at Lincoln Lincoln, PA 5:30 pm
SAT. FEB. 16 LIVINGSTONE DURHAM, NC 2:00 PM

Home Games at McLendon-McDougald Gym in CAPS