BOONE, N.C. – Senior forward Ashlyn Lockard matched her career-high point total to pace the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team in an 80-66 non-conference road loss at Appalachian State University on Sunday afternoon.
 
Lockard filled up the box score with 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist. The Tracy, California, product matched her best scoring output of 13 points against Delaware State University on Feb. 11, 2019. Lockard has led the Eagles in scoring in each of NCCU's first two games this season.
 
Senior Necole Hope is a Preseason All-MEAC Third Team honoree and she topped the Eagles with eight rebounds while providing 12 points, three steals and one block.
 
In a second straight sloppy game to start the season in which NCCU once again committed 28 turnovers, the Mountaineers scored 32 extra points off those mistakes and only trailed in the early stages.
 
App State (2-1) remained undefeated at home and NC Central (0-2) was unable to pick up its first win.
 
A layup and 3-pointer by freshman Nia Ford provided NCCU with its only lead at 7-4. Ford made a pair of 3-pointers and made all three of her field goal attempts on the way to eight points.
 
However, NCCU shot under 30-percent in the first quarter while App State shot over 50-percent over that same span, which allowed the hosts to pull out to an eight-point lead after 10 minutes of play. Junior Janay Sanders scored the Mountaineers first eight points and senior Michaela Porter scored their last eight points of the quarter to give App State the 19-11 advantage.
 
NCCU continued to shoot under 30-pecent in the second quarter and Porter bucketed 10 more points in the second stanza to extend the Mountaineer lead to 12 points, 40-28, at halftime. App State led by 15 points twice in the first half, but a made 3-pointer by sophomore Paris McBride in the final seconds of the half kept the Eagles within four possessions at the midway break.
 
Porter, a Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team selection, entered the contest with a career-high 17 points. She had 18 of her new career-high 21 points by halftime. She also led all players with 10 rebounds to complete a double-double.
 
Sophomore Faith Alston made three transition layups early in the third quarter and App State maintained a double-digit cushion throughout the second half, including a 64-43 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Alston also had a career-high scoring performance, depositing 17 points for the victors. Porter and freshman Emily Carver scored 17 and 11 points, respectively, to give App State four double-digit scorers.
 
Redshirt sophomore Tianna Carter finished with nine points and seven rebounds. McBride followed with seven points and three assists.
 
NC Central will next play VCU in Richmond, Virginia, on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.