March 10, 2006
KING BREAKS SCHOOL SCORING MARK IN #4 NCCU’S CLOSE WIN OVER #5 GC&SURALEIGH – North Carolina Central standout Cassie King set the school career scoring mark as the Lady Eagles edged Georgia College & State University 51-48 Friday in a NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional first-round game at Shaw University’s Spaulding Gym.

The fourth-seeded Lady Eagles (23-6 overall) faces top-seeded Shaw today in the semifinals, the third meeting between both CIAA schools. Shaw won the previous two contests including a victory last week in the CIAA Tournament semifinals. Georgia College & State, seeded No. 5, ends its season at 17-14.

King, a junior forward, scored 14 points to move one point ahead of former Eagles’ star Monica Stewart (1990-1994) with 1,608 points. She also grabbed 12 rebounds to lead her team past GC&SU in a game that wasn’t decided until the closing seconds.

Natasha Bailey made two free throws with 11 seconds left to give the Lady Eagles a 50-48 lead after Cassie Miliner of the Lady Bobcats tied the contest with a free throw after a technical foul on an NCCU player.

After Bailey’s free throws, the Lady Eagles forced two turnovers before Karla Gamble of NCCU made one free throw for the final margin with a second remaining. GC&SU’s inbound pass sailed out of bounds and the Lady Eagles’ ran out the final second.

LaWanna Leon led the Lady Bobcats with 17 points and eight rebounds. Porschia Holmes added 10 points for the Lady Eagles.

Both teams combined for 32 three-point attempts with GC&SU shooting 3-for-20. NCCU made two three-pointers but scored 26 points in the paint.