DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina Central University junior Jayla Calhoun scored a career-high 25 points and classmate Rodneysha Martin recorded her first career double-double in helping usher in the new era of first year head coach Trisha Stafford-Odom with an 87-75 victory over Longwood University in McDougald-McLendon Arena Tuesday.
 
The Eagles scored 28 points in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead from that point to start a season in the win column for the first time since 2014-15. NCCU's 87 points was the most scored since an 89-58 victory over Gardner-Webb University on Nov. 25, 2013.
 
Calhoun had a hot hand for the maroon and gray, making 8-of-12 field goal attempt and 9-of-10 tries from the free throw line on her way to a team-high 25 points. The Houston, Texas, product's previous game-high total was eight points entering her third season at NCCU.
 
Martin tallied the first double-double by an Eagle in two seasons, finishing with 23 points and a game-high 10 points.
 
Longwood (0-2) junior Kristina Antonenko led all players with 33 points.
 
Antonenko banked in a three-pointer from the top of the arc at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter to give the Lancers their final lead at 15-12.
 
The Eagles responded with consecutive three-pointers by Martin and sophomore Jada Blow on the next two NCCU possessions to catapult the hosts into the lead for good. The back-to-back treys sparked a 16-1 run to cap the first quarter. Junior Dominique Adams finished off the run with NCCU's third 3-pointer of the period as the buzzer was about to sound to put the Lady Eagles up 28-16.
 
NCCU continued to lead, 42-31, at halftime but 12 points by Antonenko in the third quarter sliced the Lancer deficit to 57-50 after 30 minutes. Longwood got to within one point, 47-46, after two made free throws by senior Micaela Ellis with 4:38 left in the period. The Lancers continued to trail by one possession, 53-50, before the Eagles scored a pair of momentum-shifting baskets in the final minute. Calhoun supplied an offensive rebound and put-back with 38 second left before Martin sank a 15-foot jumper from the right wing as time was expiring.
 
The Eagles finished off the victory for Stafford-Odom by scoring 30 points in the final frame. NCCU started the fourth quarter with a 9-3 surge and the squad went a clutch 10-of-11 on free throws over the final 10 minutes to keep the Lancers at bay.
 
NCCU shot 44.1-percent (30 of 38) from the field and 81.5% (22 of 27) from the charity stripe.
 
Calhoun and sophomore Paulina Afriyie made three blocks apiece as NCCU showed some strong defensive effort as well. The Eagles controlled the backboards with a 52-41 rebounding advantage and held Longwood to 33.8% accuracy from the field, including an icy 4-of-26 (15.4%) from three-point range.
 
Afriyie paced NCCU's reserves with eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Junior transfer Caira Benton had a strong debut, coming off the bench for 10 points and seven rebounds. Blow hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points.
 
NCCU next visits Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m.