DURHAM, N.C. – Redshirt sophomore Tianna Carter set an NCAA Division I era single-game record with 21 rebounds and five Eagles scored in double digits as the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team reached the 100-point mark for the first time in the modern era to highlight a 101-34 home triumph over Johnson & Wales University Monday afternoon inside McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
The Eagles shot a season-best 42-percent from the field to fly out a DI era record 67-point victory.
 
Senior forward Ashlyn Lockard led the group with a career-high 18 points; senior guard Necole Hope reached double-digits scoring for a sixth straight contest with 15 points; freshman Nia Ford had her best point total of her rookie campaign with 14 points; junior Nyasia Palmer netted a career-high 13 points; and freshman Diamond Thomas followed with 11 points.
 
NCCU dominated the glass to a 72-38 margin. Carter's single-game, modern-era record 21 rebounds included six offensive boards as the Eagles outscored JWU 19-2 on second-chance points and 56-8 in the paint. Lockard and Palmer both flirted with recording NCCU's first double-double of the season as they each snagged eight boards.
 
All 10 active Eagles scored in the home opener that took place 42 days after the season started. NCCU (1-8 Overall) played its first eight games on the road.
 
The Eagles scored two baskets in the first 15 seconds and wire-to-wire. NCCU outscored the Wildcats 35-7 in the first quarter with junior Madalyn Anderson drilling back-to-back 3-pointers from the left wing to stake NCCU to a quick 10-2 advantage in the first two minutes. The Eagles shot 51.9-percent from the floor in the first 10-minute period while holding JWU to just 20-percent shooting over that span.
 
Palmer scored nine of her team-best 11 first-half points in the first quarter. NCCU cooled off in the second quarter, but still outscored the Wildcats 19-13 in the period to increase its lead to 54-20 at halftime. Ford scored eight points in the second stanza and Anderson hit a third trifecta to begin the second quarter as she scored all nine of her points in the first half.
 
The Eagles scored a dozen unanswered points to begin the second half to continue to pull away, including a 79-24 cushion at the end of a dominating 25-4 third quarter.  
 
The record-setting performance also included DI era single-game team records of 72 rebounds, 25 assists, 37 made field goals and 67-point margin of victory.
 
It's the most points scored by the program in 35 years and largest margin of victory in 37 years.
 
Junior Kira Lowery and sophomore Paris McBride led NCCU's playmakers with six and five assists, respectively. Lowery scored eight points and McBride topped the maroon and gray with four steals.
 
Junior Jordan McDuffie paced the Wildcats with 18 points, bucketing all of them in the first half.
 
NC Central will conclude the 2021 portion of its schedule with a west coast trip to Oregon State University. The Eagles will play the Beavers on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 9 PM EST.
 
NOTES: NCCU's modern era began in 2007-08 when the Eagles started to transition from DII to DI.