DURHAM, N.C.. –  Four Lady Eagles scored in double figures and the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team posted its most lopsided victory in the program's NCAA Division I era in defeating visiting Johnson & Wales (N.C.) University by 37 points on Friday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Freshman forward Erin Houser had a breakout performance with a game-high 19 points in the 75-38 triumph. Sophomore Deja McCain poured in a career-high 13 points, senior Morgan Jones scored in double digits for a third straight game with 12 points and sophomore Dominique Adams flirted with a double-double with 10 points and team-high eight rebounds.
 
NCCU (1-2 Overall) dominated the contest in nearly all facets, including a 60-33 rebounding advantage, a 31-2 surplus on points off turnovers, a 20-2 domination of second-chance points, a 32-18 edge on points in the paint and a 38-9 cushion on bench points.
 
Johnson & Wales actually led 14-13 at the end of the first quarter as NCCU missed its first eight shots and only made 2 of its 15 field goal attempts (13.3%). However, the Lady Eagles made 9 of 14 free throws in the first 10 minutes to stay within one possession. 
 
Houser scored on NCCU's opening possession of the second quarter to put the Lady Eagles ahead for good. The basket started a 12-0 run as the hosts lead grew to double digits at 25-14. The Wildcats nearly went scoreless in the period until junior Jaguana Pauling made a short-range jumper with just 16 seconds left in the half to cut the halftime deficit to nine at 25-16. JWU went 1 of 16 from the floor (6.3%) in the second quarter.
 
Nine different Lady Eagles had already scored heading into the locker room with Houser leading the group with six points. Junior Kierona Morton had all seven rebounds by the break.
 
NCCU had its best shooting half of the season out of the intermission, making 44.7-percent (17 of 38) of its shots to increase its 25-16 lead to a staggering 37 points, which is the largest since the Lady Eagles defeated Newport News Apprentice School by 38 points (89-51) on Nov. 22, 2005.
 
Senior Monique Whaley-Briggs highlighted NCCU's tablesetters with four assists. Classmate Chantal Thomas and freshman Jada Blow handed out three helpers apiece.
 
Adams had four of the squad's 14 steals. McCain and Thomas joined Morton with seven boards.
 
Houser had NCCU's hottest arm, making 8 of 15 field goals for 53.3-percent.
 
Johnson & Wales (4-3 Overall) is a member of the United State Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and fell to 0-2 on the road. Freshman guard Megan Sanders paced the Wildcats with 12 points on four made 3-pointers. Pauling, who entered the contest averaging a double-double, was held to two points and eight rebounds.
 
NCCU will play one more game before Thanksgiving, visiting Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, on Tuesday at 7 p.m.