Creech Shines with Career-High 16 Points in NCCU’s Home Finale Loss
DURHAM, N.C. – Despite a career-high 16 points from Jada Creech, North Carolina Central fell to Norfolk State, 96-57, in its final home game of the season Monday at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
The Eagles (8-20, 5-8 MEAC), tied for fifth in the conference, will wrap up the regular season Thursday at South Carolina State before heading to the MEAC Tournament next week.
Creech was dominant off the bench, shooting 60% (6-for-10) from the floor while adding four rebounds in just 14 minutes. Her 16-point performance surpassed her previous career-best of 12 points (Jan. 2025 vs. Pfeiffer) and marked her second double-digit scoring effort of the season.
“If Jada stays focused on basketball, she can be great,” NCCU Head Coach Terrence Baxter said of the redshirt freshman. “She can be all-conference if she wants to be. She’s nifty, quick, has great hands, and a high basketball IQ. If she totally buys in, the sky is the limit.”
Norfolk State’s Defense Overpowers NCCU
Shakiria Foster (11 points) and Aysia Hinton (8 points) contributed offensively, while Morgan Callahan grabbed 10 rebounds and tied Jada Tiggett for a team-high three blocks.
Despite an early 3-0 lead, NCCU quickly fell behind to the two-time defending MEAC champions. Norfolk State (26-4, 13-0 MEAC), ranked sixth nationally among mid-major schools, took control with an 8-0 run and never looked back.
For the second straight game, a rough second quarter hurt NCCU. The Spartans outscored the Eagles 19-4 to stretch a 22-13 first-quarter lead into a commanding 41-18 halftime advantage. In Saturday’s loss to Howard, NCCU was outscored 25-5 in the second quarter.
Turnovers & Transition Defense Prove Costly
NCCU’s struggles stemmed from poor shooting and turnovers:
- Shot just 18.2% in the second quarter
- Committed 29 turnovers, leading to 37 points for Norfolk State
- Allowed a 35-7 advantage in fast break points
“The second quarter stuck us again,” Baxter admitted. “But that is a good team over there. You can’t have 29 turnovers against a team like Norfolk State. Turnovers have been a thorn in our side all year.”
Norfolk State’s Diamond Johnson led six players in double figures with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.
Callahan Honored for 1,000-Point Milestone
Before the game, Morgan Callahan was recognized for surpassing 1,000 career points last week in a win over Delaware State. She previously hit the 600-rebound milestone in early February, becoming only the fourth player in NCCU’s Division I era to reach both marks.
“She is a great player,” said Creech, Callahan’s roommate. “I am honored to play with her.”
Eyes on the MEAC Tournament
With the postseason looming, Baxter remains optimistic.
“We just played the two best teams in the league,” he said. “We are 20 and 30 points away from them right now. If we clean up our turnovers, we can compete. Our focus is on winning that first-round game and then we’ll see where we stand.”
NCCU closes the regular season Thursday at South Carolina State before shifting its attention to the MEAC Tournament.
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Photos: NCCU Athletics/Doug Burt