It is a Saturday afternoon in Durham, and if you are standing outside the McDougald-McLendon Arena, you can hear it. The squeak of sneakers. The rhythmic thud of a ball against hardwood. Honestly, most casual sports fans in the Triangle area are usually looking toward Chapel Hill or the other side of Durham for their hoops fix. But they are missing out. NC Central women's basketball is currently navigating a season that is way more complex than just a win-loss column.
Right now, as of mid-January 2026, the Eagles are sitting at a 3-13 overall record. That sounds rough. I get it. But if you actually look at the "how" and the "who," you start to see a team that is basically a powder keg waiting for a match. They are 0-3 in the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) after a tough road trip to Baltimore where they dropped games to Morgan State and Coppin State.
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But here is the thing: they aren't getting blown out because they lack talent. They are one of the most aggressive defensive units in the country.
The Morgan Callahan Factor
You cannot talk about this team without starting with Morgan Callahan. She was the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year for a reason. Watching her play is a bit like watching a chess player who also happens to have a 30-inch vertical.
Callahan is a graduate forward who basically lives in the paint. Last week in Baltimore, she was absolutely cooking—averaging 19 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting a ridiculous 70.8% from the field. Most players look for their shot; Callahan creates a gravity that forces the entire defense to collapse on her, which should open things up for the shooters.
Key Personnel and the MEAC Landscape
- Morgan Callahan: The anchor. She’s currently a top-five scorer in the league and a top-three rebounder.
- Aniya Finger: A forward who provides that crucial secondary scoring. She was a Preseason All-MEAC Third Team pick and recently put up 10 in the conference opener.
- Aysia Hinton: One of the best pure shooters in the conference. She actually leads the MEAC in three-pointers made per game (1.9).
- Tierney Coleman: Another specialist from deep. She’s been hovering around a 47.8% clip from beyond the arc.
The coaching staff, led by Terrence Baxter, has leaned heavily into a "disruptive" identity. It is kinda wild to see a team with a losing record ranking 17th nationally in forced turnovers. They are forcing nearly 23 turnovers a game. That is frantic, high-pressure basketball that makes opponents miserable for 40 minutes.
Why the Record is Deceptive
So, if they force that many turnovers, why aren't they 13-3 instead of 3-13?
It's the offense. Or rather, the consistency of it. The Eagles are shooting about 34.3% from the field as a team. You can't win many games at the Division I level when you're missing two out of every three shots you take. They get the extra possessions from their defense, but they haven't been "cashing the checks" those turnovers provide.
Also, the schedule was a gauntlet. They opened the season against #11 North Carolina. They played Wake Forest on the road and lost by just three points. They went to Norfolk and played an Old Dominion team that is always a nightmare. This wasn't a schedule built for easy wins; it was built to harden a team for March.
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The Battle with Howard
The upcoming game on January 17th against Howard is essentially the "put up or shut up" moment for the season. Howard was picked to win the MEAC. They have Zennia Thomas, who is arguably the only forward in the league who can go toe-to-toe with Callahan.
What's fascinating is that Howard is 6-7 on the road. They are beatable away from D.C. If NC Central can win the turnover battle—which they usually do—and just hit 40% of their shots, they could flip the script on the entire MEAC standings in one afternoon.
What Most People Miss About NCCU
People see "HBCU basketball" and they sometimes think of it as a separate tier. That is a mistake. The level of athleticism in the MEAC right now is through the roof. NC Central has a bench that averages nearly 25 points per game. That is 54th in the country. Their depth is actually better than some Power 4 schools I’ve watched this year.
They play a brand of basketball that is fundamentally exhausting. If you're a fan who likes the "grit and grind" era of the NBA, you'd actually love watching this squad. They don't give up easy layups. They scrap for every loose ball.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are following the team or looking to bet on MEAC action, keep these three things in mind for the rest of the 2026 season:
- Watch the First Quarter: The Eagles have struggled with slow starts. In their loss to Norfolk State, they were down early and could never climb back. If they are within 4 points at the end of the first, they usually win.
- Follow the Steals: If the team records 12 or more steals, they almost always cover the spread. Their defense is their offense.
- The Home Court Bump: They have three straight home games coming up. Two of their three wins this year happened at McDougald-McLendon. The energy in that building matters.
The season isn't over. Not by a long shot. With Callahan playing at an MVP level and the defense ranking in the top 20 nationally for disruption, the Eagles are a dangerous "out" for anyone in the MEAC tournament.
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To get the most out of following the team, check the live stats on the NCCU Eagle Pride website during away games to see the "Points off Turnovers" category. That is the single most important stat for this roster. If that number is above 15, they are in the game. If it's below 10, it's going to be a long night in Durham.