Tigers wrap up December home stand against North Carolina Central

Saturday, December 29

Memphis, Tenn.

2:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

North Carolina Central

Tickets

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers wrap up December home stand against North Carolina Central

Dec 28, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Memphis Game Notes Live Stats

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Tigers wrap up their homestand with a Dec. 29 square off with the North Carolina Central Eagles. Tip-off against the Eagles is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

GAME 12
Memphis (4-7) vs. North Carolina Central (2-9)
Tip-off: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Elma Roane Fieldhouse – Memphis, Tennessee
Live Stats | Watch | Listen

Memphis hosts the Eagles after dropping a heart-breaker to Little Rock last Friday. Despite a strong fourth quarter, a career-high 25 points from Jamirah Shutes was not enough to carry the Tigers to victory. Along with Shutes, Alana Davis and Taylor Barnes chipped in double-digit scoring, and the trio combined for 52 of the 60 points scored by the Tigers.

Shutes, just a freshman, leads the Tigers in scoring with 14.2 points per game. Her scoring average ranks eighth in the American Athletic Conference. She is one of three Memphis players scoring in double figures, along with Davis and Barnes, averaging 13.2 and 10.5 per outing, respectively.

Davis leads the squad in rebounding, pulling down 9.3 boards per contest. Nationally, Davis ranks fifth in the country on the offensive glass, snaring 4.9 rebounds each game, providing the Tigers with additional offensive opportunities. She also leads the team in field goal percentage, shooting .545 percent on the year, which is the fifth best mark in The American.

Scouting the Eagles
North Carolina Central comes to Memphis after dropping a 78-54 decision to Kennesaw State last Friday. Paulina Afriyie and Rodneysha Martin lead the way with 14 points apiece in the loss.

The Eagles are led in scoring by Afriyie, who scores 13.3 points per outing. Martin has a higher scoring average, netting 17.3 points per contest, but has only appeared in four games this season. North Carolina Central won back-to-back games earlier this month by defeating UNC Greensboro and Wofford.

The Eagles have found defensive success with Afriyie and Kiyana Brown, as they have led the team to blocking over five shots a game. Brown leads the way with 27 blocked shots, and Afriyie is second on the team with 16. Both rank in the top five in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in blocked shots, with Brown leading the conference with more than 2.5 blocks per game.

The Tigers and the Eagles have never faced off before, marking the second time this season that Memphis will play an opponent for the first time in school history. The Tigers also made a series debut against Coastal Carolina earlier this season. North Carolina Central is coached by Trisha Stafford-Odom, now in her second season as head coach.

Final Details
Tip-off against North Carolina Central is set for a rescheduled 2:30 p.m. at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. For fans unable to attend, live stats and a free stream will be available at www.gotigersgo.com. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow us on Twitter at @MemphisWBB.