NCCU (1-0) featured a lineup of four newcomers including senior transfer Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) who led the game with 18 points. She hit 7 of her 15 field goal attempts, 3-of-5 shots from three-point land and finished 1-of-3 from the charity stripe. Freeman was joined in double figures by junior transfer Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who collected her first double-double in a NCCU uniform. Davis amassed 14 points during the victory along with a game-best 15 rebounds while finishing a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line, as her four helped the Lady Eagles to a 15-of-20 (75 percent) combined effort.
The tenacious NCCU defense forced Presbyterian (0-2) into 16 turnovers which the Lady Eagles converted into 18 points.
The Blue Hose were guided by 10 points each from Noelle Carter and Keyonna Allen.
NCCU never trailed during the contest scoring first off of a single made free throw from junior transfer Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.). The Lady Eagles pushed four more points off of a steal and basket from Freeman and two made shots from the charity stripe from senior Tiffany Gary (Delray Beach, Fla.) to start the game on a 5-0 run.
A three-point basket made from PC's Kasey Hobbie, 5 minutes and 29 seconds into the first half, put the Blue Hose of the board for the first time in the game and cut NCCU's lead to its smallest deficit of two at 5-3.
Back-to-back three's from freshman Morgan Jones (Stockbridge, Ga.) and Freeman with nine minutes left in first half action kept the offensive momentum in the hands of NCCU for the remainder of the first frame.
The Lady Eagles led by as many as nine in the first half, forced nine Presbyterian turnovers and took a ten point, 26-16, lead into the locker room.
Carter started the second 20 minutes of action for PC with a made basket from behind the arc two seconds into play cutting the NCCU lead to seven.
The next five minutes of action the Lady Eagles swapped baskets with the Blue Hose before Freeman stole the ball from Carter and showed off her ball handling skills with a pass behind the back to Conerly sparking the Lady Eagles offense.
After rookie Alexus Hynes (Houston, Texas) was fouled on a made layup converting the basket into a three-point-play, Freeman duplicated her teammate and pushed NCCU's largest lead of the ball game to 14 at the 11:58 mark, 45-31.
Exchanging free throws on the both ends of the court in the final 90 seconds of play, the Lady Eagles sealed the 55-44 victory with Davis grasping her final rebound of the contest in the closing seconds.
Collectively, on the offensive end, NCCU shot 18-of-48 from the field (37.5%) and four-of-nine from behind the three-point line (44.4%). The Lady Eagles also collected a game-high 43 team rebounds, nine steals, seven assists and two blocks.
NCCU returns to the court Sunday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in Durham, N.C., as the Lady Eagles welcome Presbyterian's fellow Big South Conference member, Coastal Carolina to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium in their 2013-14 home-opener.
Box Score
By Andrea Wheeler, Assistant Sports Information Director
VISIT: NCCUEAGLEPRIDE.COM
VISIT: NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
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