NORFOLK, Va. (Interstat) — A surging Howard squad looks to continue its dominant season while North Carolina Central seeks a season-altering upset when the teams meet in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Friday. The matchup at the Constant Convocation Center pits the conference’s top tier against its bottom. The Howard Lady Bison (24-7 overall) enter as one of the MEAC’s hottest teams, having won nine straight games. The North Carolina Central Eagles (9-20) are looking to halt a two-game skid after a 70-52 loss at Coppin State on Thursday. Howard, which defeated N.C. Central 66-58 just three weeks ago on Feb. 21, has been led by the consistent excellence of Zennia Thomas. The standout forward is coming off a 19-point, 9-rebound performance in a 75-43 rout of South Carolina State on Wednesday. In the previous meeting with the Eagles, Thomas posted 15 points and nine rebounds. North Carolina Central will counter with forward Morgan Callahan, who is averaging a near double-double in her last six contests. Callahan recorded six points and seven rebounds in the February loss to Howard but has since posted an 11-point, 8-rebound game against Coppin State and a 9-point, 11-rebound effort at South Carolina State. The Eagles have struggled offensively during their losing streak, failing to reach 60 points in three of their last four games. Howard’s defense, which has held opponents to an average of 55.2 points during its nine-game win streak, will look to extend that trend. History favors the Lady Bison, who have won both meetings this season. Beyond Thomas, Howard has received steady contributions from players like Dally Moreno, who had seven rebounds and two blocks in the last outing. For N.C. Central, finding secondary scoring beyond Callahan will be critical to challenging a Howard team playing with high confidence late in the season. The Eagles’ last victory was a 67-41 win over South Carolina State on March 5. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday, March 13, at the Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk.