TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Senior forward Tisha Dixon flirted with a double-double for North Carolina Central University but Florida A&M University outscored the visitors 35-22 in the middle two quarters to pull out a 55-45 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball victory at the Al Lawson Center Monday night.
 
The Rattlers (11-10 Overall, 5-3 MEAC) are one of two MEAC women's basketball teams with an overall record over .500. The Lady Eagles (3-15, 2-6) had their worst perimeter shooting game since their season opener (1 of 15 on 3-pointers vs. Campbell) by going 1 of 12 (8.3%) from 3-point distance.
 
Dixon led the Maroon and Gray with 15 points and nine rebounds, coming one rebound shy of her 10th career double-double. Junior guard Morgan Jones tallied seven points while freshmen Deja McCain and Dominique Adams both tallied five points. McCain also seized seven rebounds.
 
Jones scored five of her seven points and made two steals in the first 10 minutes to help NCCU to a slim 10-9 edge at the quarter break. The teams traded the lead a couple times to start second period before a strong baseline layup by Dixon had the Lady Eagles up for the final time at 15-13.
 
Junior guard Kenya Dixon scored 10 consecutive points to start a decisive 12-0 FAMU to put the hosts up by nine at 25-16. Another lay-in by NCCU's Dixon and two converted free throws by freshman Chantal Thomas pulled the visitors to within six, 25-19, at halftime.
 
The Rattlers made five of their first six shots (83.3%) in the third quarter while NCCU was held to just one made field goal on five tries (20%) over that span as FAMU's cushion grew to 14 at 37-23. Florida A&M shot 53.8-percent for the quarter, including junior Jasmine Robertson scoring all 10 of her points, to lead by a dozen (44-32) at the end of the period.
 
The Lady Eagles fought back and pulled within five at 50-45 on a made free throw by senior Kristin Askew at the 3:47 mark but were then held scoreless from that point. NCCU only took three shots in those final three minutes as a couple offensive rebounds by FAMU allowed the Rattlers to run out nearly half of that time.
 
Senior Olivia Antilla led Florida A&M with 16 points and four assists. Dixon dropped in 12 points; Robertson finished with 10 points; and senior Khadejra Young filled up the box score with eight points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists.
 
NCCU returns home to host archrival North Carolina A&T State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.