Corin Adams and Erin Hawkins each scored a game-high 16 points and Phylicia Jones pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to lead Morgan State to a 63-53 victory over host North Carolina Central in a non-conference game on Monday evening at the McLendon-McDougald Center.

Morgan State, which improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory, is off to its best start since the 1983-84 season, when that squad began the season winning its first four games.

The victory was a far cry from last year’s 45-point victory (85-40) at Morgan State, in which Adams recorded the school’s first-ever triple double. Adams did add six assists and six rebounds20to go with her 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-for-4 from beyond the three-point arc.

The Lady Bears scored the game’s first seven points and held their largest lead of the first half (13 points), following a three-pointer by Hawkins with 13:08 remaining to give Morgan a 16-3 lead. The hosts pulled within seven points three times, the last coming on a jumper by Chasidy Williams with 3:35 left to make it a 25-18 game.

Morgan State would extend its lead to as much as 12 points before taking a 33-24 advantage at the intermission.

A 13-7 run by Morgan State to start the second half, extended the guests’ lead to 46-31, their largest of the game, following Adams’ first three-pointer of the game at the 11:20 mark. Adams would later connect on her third straight three-pointer of the game, making it a 60-46 advantage with 4:25 left in the contest.

The Eagles (0-2) were led by Williams and Blaire Houston, who both tallied a team-high 15 points. Jori Nwachukwu added 10 points and Latoya Bennett grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for NCCU.

The Lady Bears return to action on Friday, Nov. 21, when they take on Louisiana at Monroe in the opening round of the Fifth Third Classic hosted by Marshall University at 5 p.m. The Lady Bears will then face either Tennessee State or Marshall on Saturday at either 5 of 7 p.m. in the consolation or championship game.