DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Tisha Dixon netted a double-double, junior Morgan Jones swished a team-high 17 points and freshman Maya Jackson scored a season-high 12 points for host North Carolina Central University in a 68-61 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference home loss to Howard University Monday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
The Bison used a big 29-point second quarter to take the lead for good and road 20-point performances from junior Sydni Johnson and senior Victoria Gonzales to earn their first win of the season.
 
Howard (1-9 Overall, 1-1 MEAC) shot 43.6-percent from the field and took advantage of eight less foul calls than the Lady Eagles by making 14 of 18 (77.8%) free throws to hand NCCU (1-6, 1-1) its first league loss.
 
The Lady Eagles held a 41-33 rebounding advantage, committed one less turnover (18-17) and took 12 more shots than Howard, but were still edged despite also shooting a season-best 37.3-percent from the floor.
 
The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 12-nil advantage with Dixon making three early baskets, Jones drilling a 3-pointer and sophomore Kierona Morton adding three points. Howard missed its first six baskets of the first quarter to fall behind by a dozen before finally getting on the board with 5:54 left in the period.
 
NCCU recorded six assists on its eight field goals in the opening quarter to lead 18-13. The Lady Eagles would once again score 18 more points in the second quarter, but the Bison found their shot in the second 10-minute period to score 29 points and grab a 42-36 lead at halftime. Howard made 10 of 18 (55.6%) field goals in the second quarter, including a staggering 5 of 7 (71.4%) from behind the arc.
 
Johnson scored 14 points in the second period to match Gonzales with 14 points at the midway break. Jones paced the Lady Eagles at the intermission with 13 points.
 
A layup by Jackson and two made free throws by junior Monique Whaley-Briggs pulled NCCU to within one at the 5:38 mark of the third quarter. Howard tallied the next three points and remained in front throughout the second half. The Bison led by five at the end of the third quarter, 55-50, and then doubled up that advantage to a game-high 10 points, 60-50, with the first five points of the fourth. NCCU kept chipping away and closed the gap to five points a couple times down the stretch but was never able to get any closer.
 
For a third straight game, Jones notched a new season-high scoring total by cashing in 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Dixon filled up the box score with 13 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, two assists and one block. Dixon now has two double-doubles on the season and nine in her career. Jackson came off the bench for 12 points on 5 of 11 precision. Jones and senior Kristin Askew handed out five assists apiece and Morton chipped in six points and seven rebounds.
 
Freshman Shaylon Tarver provided Howard with a third scorer in double digits by knocking down 13 points. Sophomore Tajzhane Dopson orchestrated the visitor's offense with a game-high eight assists.
 
NCCU steps back out of conference for four consecutive road games to conclude the calendar year, starting with Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Tuesday, December 15 at 2 p.m.