DURHAM, N.C. – Senior guard Kristin Askew scored a team-high 16 points for host North Carolina Central University in a 76-42 home loss to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Hampton University Monday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 56.4-percent from the field to move into a tie for first place in the MEAC standings. Hampton (6-12 Overall, 4-1 MEAC) is tied with Bethune-Cookman University for the top position in the league after Morgan State lost to the Wildcats on Monday.
 
Reigning MEAC Player of the Year junior Malia Tate-DeFreitas led all players with 24 points and four steals. Sophomore Kaylah Lupoe followed closely with 20 points. Tate-DeFreitas (10 of 15) and Lupoe (10 of 12) were a combined 20 for 27 from the field (74%).
 
Askew nailed 3 of her 4 three-point attempts on her way to 16 points. Askew has scored in double digits in seven consecutive games. Junior Morgan Jones tallied 10 points and five rebounds. Senior Tisha Dixon was held to just one point but she did contribute a game-high 11 rebounds and four assists. Freshman Dominique Adams filled up the box score from a reserve role with four points, four rebounds and two steals. Junior Tyshay Britten added six rebounds.
 
NCCU jumped out early on the perennial MEAC power with a 9-4 run to start the contest. Askew drilled a 3-pointer to put the Lady Eagles up five. A minute later, Askew hit another jumper at the 5:26 mark to keep NCCU up by a handful at 11-6. However, the Lady Eagles were then held without a field goal for nearly a full quarter as Howard pulled away.
 
The Lady Pirates outscored the hosts 21-2 over the ensuing nine minutes and 31 seconds of play before NCCU finally hit another field goal on a fastbreak putback by Jones with 5:55 to go in the second quarter.
 
Hampton maintained a sizable advantage from that point by making 31 of 55 field goal attempts. The Lady Pirates were up 37-26 at halftime and 57-37 after the third quarter before pulling away to the 34-point win by outscoring NCCU 19-5 in the fourth quarter.
 
Tate-DeFreitas scored 19 of her 24 points in the first half when the outcome was still in question.
 
The Lady Eagles were held to just 29.6-percent shooting from the floor and 27 NCCU turnovers led to a 31-7 point advantage for Hampton off mistakes.
 
NCCU hits the road for a MEAC tilt at Delaware State University in Dover on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m.