Both Durham universities will host exhibition games in women’s basketball this afternoon.
It’s the last of the season for both, and for N.C. Central it’s also the first.
Duke, ranked No. 6 in both major preseason polls and led by preseason All-ACC guard Jasmine Thomas (pictured), will host Division II power Alaska Anchorage at 2 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium, while NCCU will entertain former CIAA rival Johnson C. Smith at 4 at McLendon-McDougald Gym.
UAA’s Seawolves are ranked No. 8 in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll and went 31-4 last season.
Johnson C. Smith was ranked No. 1 in the Western Division in the CIAA’s preseason poll.
Duke will open regular-season play on the road Friday night at Houston Baptist.
NCCU, which will be without last season’s top scorer and rebounder Jori Nwachukwu as she recovers from foot surgery, will begin regular-season action on Saturday at Maryland, which was ranked No. 21 in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Sunday’s area games
Alaska Anchorage at Duke (exhibition)
[Sunday, 2 p.m., Cameron Indoor Stadium]
Records (2008-09) UAA 31-4, Duke 27-6.
Coaches’ records -UAA: Tim Moser 84-15; Duke: Joanne P. McCallie 368-164, 52-16 at Duke.
Leading scorers – (returnees from 08-09) UAA: Nicci Miller 10.2; Duke: Jasmine Thomas 10.2.
Leading rebounders – (returnees from 08-09) UAA: Nicci Miller 5.5; Duke: Joy Cheek 4.7.
Assist leaders – (returnees from 08-09) UAA: Kiki Taylor 2.6; Duke: Jasmine Thomas 3.3.
Johnson C. Smith at N.C. Central (exhibition)
[Sunday, 4 p.m., McLendon-McDougald Gym]
Records (2008-09) JCSU 20-11, NCCU 10-17.
Coaches’ records – JCSU: Vanessa Taylor 232-185, 149-90 at JCSU; NCCU: Joli Robinson 197-172.
Leading scorers – (returnees from 08-09) JCSU: Wendy Stywalt 17.7; NCCU: Chasidy Williams 11.8.
Leading rebounders – (returnees from 08-09) JCSU: Demetria Bell 10.1; NCCU: Chasidy Williams 5.0.
Assist leaders – (returnees from 08-09) JCSU: Wendy Stywalt 2.4; NCCU: Blaire Houston 2.3.