CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A strong performance throughout the lineup and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch led the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team to a 68-58 non-conference road win at Johnson & Wales University Monday evening in the Wildcat Center.
 
The Lady Eagles soared out to a 25-5 lead after the first quarter and then made 8 of 8 free throws in the final 75 seconds to hold off late Wildcats comeback attempt. NCCU (4-16 Overall) earned its first road win of the season and snapped a 27-game losing streak on the road dating back to a season-opening win two years ago at Western Carolina University (W, 65-59 on Nov. 14, 2014).
 
Senior forward Tisha Dixon scored a game-high 19 points on an impressive 8 of 9 shooting performance from the field. Freshman Deja McCain helped NCCU dominate from the post by bucketing nine points and pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. All three marks by the duo were new career-high game totals.
 
The Maroon and Gray outrebounded JWU 50-29 for its largest rebounding advantage of the campaign (+21). NCCU also scored a season-high 68 points on 41.8-percent shooting accuracy.
 
Junior Morgan Jones and freshman Dominique Adams led the Lady Eagles backcourt with 10 points apiece. Junior Monique Whaley-Briggs tallied nine points and freshman Chantel Thomas turned in eight points, including six straight free throws in the final two minutes.
 
NCCU made seven of its first 10 field goals to start the game on a 19-3 run. The Lady Eagles held the Wildcats to just two made shots on 16 attempts in the first 10 minutes to construct its 20-point advantage after the first quarter.
 
Johnson & Wales missed its first four tries from 3-point distance in the opening period, but the Wildcats heated up from the perimeter in the second quarter. JWU drilled 4 of 5 attempts from behind the arc to outscore NCCU 24-18 and trim the halftime deficit to 14 at 43-29.
 
Dixon, who led the Lady Eagles into the locker room with nine points, added eight more points in the third quarter to help the visitors keep a sizable lead heading into the final period at 58-43.
 
The Wildcats were able to claw back to within five points at 60-55 with 1:46 left as NCCU went cold from the field, making just 1 of 9 attempts from the floor in the final 10 minutes. However, Johnson & Wales was forced to foul late and the Lady Eagles made all eight attempts from the charity stripe – six by Thomas and two by Jones – to clinch the 10-point triumph.
 
Adams just missed a double-double with nine rebounds and came up with three steals. Dixon and sophomore Kierona Morton both secured seven boards. Jones, Thomas and senior Kristin Askew all handed out three assists for the victors.
 
A trio of Wildcats scored in double figures: sophomore Vanderia Shackelford poured in 19 points, freshman Amber Gladden recorded 16 points and sophomore Jaquana Pauling chipped in 10 points.
 
NCCU will celebrate Senior Day in its next game when the Lady Eagles host MEAC foe Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday at 2 p.m.