DURHAM – Aniya Finger, above, delivered the best scoring performance of her career, and it led to a big win for North Carolina Central.

Finger poured in a career-high 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Eagles erased an early 13-point deficit to knock off Maryland Eastern Shore from the unbeaten conference ranks for their season’s first MEAC win on Monday. NCCU gained the victory after a two-week layoff due to winter conditions.

“We got off to a slow start and had foul trouble early but didn’t panic,” head coach Terrence Baxter said. “We’ve been down before. We came right back and rolled from that point on.”

UMES was unbeaten through five MEAC games, its best conference start ever. But Finger scored at will inside and deep and led a defensive surge to beat the Hawks for the fourth time in six games at McDougald-McLendon Arena, including two in a row. Three UMES players fouled out and another player had four fouls attempting to contain Finger, forward Morgan Callahan and the Eagles’ offense.

“I was in a groove,” said Finger, whose previous scoring high was 21 points twice. “I was able to go inside and outside.”

Finger finished 10 of 21, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range as the Eagles, who outshot UMES 42.3% to 40% after shooting 36.4% in the opening quarter. It was the first time an NCCU player scored over 30 points since Kyla Bryant dropped 32 at home against UMES on Jan. 11, 2025.

“I call her Deebo and you see why,” Baxter said. “She is really a three playing the five position for us. That’s what I like about my fours and fives, they can step out on the perimeter and hurt you.”

Callahan fought off early foul trouble to add 14 points and eight rebounds in her 96th start, the most of any NCCU player in the Division I era. Her and Finger combined to score 14 of NCCU’s 22 field goals.

Natalie Jasper chipped in nine points, including a key layup and 3-pointer for a 65-59 Eagles’ lead late in the fourth quarter after the Hawks closed within one.

Finger also had six of the team’s 18 steals, which forced UMES to commit a season-high 34 turnovers. The miscues were the most for a Division I opponent this season against the Eagles, who entered the contest 17th in the nation in steals per game.

Monday’s victory showed the potential of Finger and Callahan as an inside duo. Finger missed all of last season due to injury.

“This is our first year really being on the court together again,” Callahan said. “This game showed how good we can play together.”

The Eagles are back at home against William Peace Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

Men edge Hawks in tight contest

The Eagles earned their fourth conference win in a 65-63 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore. This was the first game in 15 days for the men as weather altered the final three games of January.  

NCCU (8-12, 4-1 MEAC) was led by Jae Slack and Dionte Johnson. Slack finished with 19 points, while Johnson scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and passed for seven assists. Gage Lattimore gave the Eagles the lead with 3.8 seconds remaining with a pair of free throws.

The Eagles controlled the beginning of the game, up by 12 through the first 10 minutes. The Hawks began to chip away, eventually tying the game at 20 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

UMES and NCCU continued trading buckets, as the Hawks let it fly from beyond the arc. The Eagles struggled from the field in the final minutes, as the team didn’t score a field goal in the last 4:26. The two teams combined for eight free throw attempts from that timestamp.

UMES’s Zion Obanla scored two straight layups off turnovers, tying the contest at 63 with 40 seconds remaining. After an Eagle turnover, a Hawk shot clock violation gave NCCU a chance to take the lead after Lattimore was fouled in the act of shooting with 3.8 seconds remaining.

Jaden Cooper had a look at the basket for the Hawks but missed the layup.

UMES (8-15, 4-2 MEAC) has now lost two straight after a 4-0 start against MEAC competition. Both losses were on the road. Obanla had 19 points and 15 rebounds for UMES.  

NCCU hits the road for a battle at Norfolk State Feb. 7 at 4:30 p.m.

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