Bears Athletics - Lady Bears Fall to NCCU 80-67

Shaw Women Lose Battle of Three-Point Line to NCCU 80-67

(Durham, NC) – Tanisha McGaughey’s (right) 25 point-10 rebound double-double could not overcome an NCCU team hitting over 50 percent from the three-point line and #23 Shaw fell to Division I North Carolina Central 80-67.

The two teams took a total of 50 three-point shots, with Central (5-11) hitting 13 and Shaw (10-2, 6-1 CIAA) ten. The game stayed close until midway through the second half, when the Lady Eagles – on the power of three three-pointers - took a ten-point lead, then pulled away.

The first half was an exhibition of three-point shooting. Nearly half the points in the half were scored from long distance – 21 points for NCCU and 15 for Shaw.

The opening minutes of the contest were back and forth. Three pointers from McGaughey and Niesha Searles for Shaw and Latoya Bennett and She’Leah Battle opened the game with a 6-6 tie.

Up two, NCCU got threes from Blaire Houston and Shanise Blanks to take an eight-point lead. Danielle DeBerry’s layup with 2:55 left in the first would prove to be the Lady Eagles last points of the half. A layup by Maggie Tanner and five more points from McGaughey would pull the Lady Bears within five.

To no one’s real surprise, the second half opened with a three – from McGaughey, cutting the lead to two. The Lady Eagles then outscored Shaw 10-2, including two threes from Blanks.

Shaw chipped away at the lead and with 12:20 left in the game, McGaughey hit a three to cut the Lady Bears deficit to one. For over three minutes, the teams did not score except from the free throw line. Blanks broke the scoring drought - with a three - to give the Lady Eagles a five-point lead. They built it to ten points in the next minute.

The Lady Bears cut the lead to six with 5:34, but NCCU took over the game, allowing Shaw only six points the rest of the way, while scoring 13 of their own.

McGaughey’s 25 included five threes. She also had ten rebounds and came within two assists of the triple double, dishing out eight. Maggie Tanner had 14 points for the Lady Bears.

NCCU had four players in double figures, led by Blanks’ 25 – 21 of those points from threes. Blaire Houston had 15 while Bennett had 12 and Joanna Miller 10. Bennett had the double-double on the evening with ten rebounds. DeBerry led Central with seven assists.

The Lady Bears return home on Saturday, January 16 to face off against Elizabeth City State at 5:30 p.m. in C. C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

[box score]

January 13, 2010