Dec. 7, 2007

ECSU vs. NCCU Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

FSU vs. BC Final Stats | 

DURHAM, N.C. - In its first home game of the season, North Carolina Central University jumped out to 15-point lead, but Elizabeth City State University rallied for a 51-50 win in the opening game of the 11th Lady Eagle Classic on Friday inside NCCU's McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium.

The host Lady Eagles scored the first seven points of the game and held a 12-3 lead after senior Jennifer Hukill tallied her 10th point at the 15:04 mark. NCCU expanded the cushion to 22-7 when sophomore Jori Nwachukwu made the first of two free throws with 9:08 left in the first half.

ECSU slowly chipped away at the deficit and closed the half with a 7-2 run to trim NCCU's lead to 26-18 at the break.

The visiting Lady Vikings scored eight of the first 10 points in the second half to narrow the gap to 28-26 at 16:29. After a three-pointer by NCCU freshman Shanise Blanks, ECSU scored seven straight points, capped by an old-fashioned three-point play by senior Celeste Trahan, to provide the Lady Vikings with their first lead of the game, 32-31 at the 14:40 mark.

NCCU managed to tie the game in each of the next two possessions, but ECSU responded with baskets of its own as the Lady Vikings held the lead the rest of the way.

ECSU (3-2) was sparked by Trahan with 22 points and 13 rebounds, including 15 points and 11 boards in the game-changing second half. Joyce Freeman and Cheniece Arthur contributed 10 points apiece.

Hukill finished with 16 points to lead NCCU (0-11), while Nwachukwu added 13 points, nine rebounds and five steals, and Blanks had 10 points.

The contest was a rematch of the 2007 CIAA Women's Basketball Championship Game, which NCCU won 89-72 on March 3 in Charlotte, N.C.

In day two action of the Lady Eagle Classic, ECSU will play Barton College at 2 p.m., while NCCU hosts Fayetteville State University at 4 p.m.