MADISON, N.J. – The defending champion FDU-Florham women's basketball team cruised an 84-40 victory over Johnson and Wales University in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night at the Ferguson Recreation Center.

Junior forward Shalette Brown (Somerset, N.J.) led the charge for the Devils (27-1) with 24 points and 15 rebounds in 26 minutes of action. The All-Freedom Conference First Team selection shot an efficient 9-of-13 from the floor as the Devils advanced to the Round of 32.

Following the win, FDU-Florham Head Coach Marc Mitchell said, "I thought we played well defensively and kept our focus throughout the game. Now it's on to the next one."

The Devils will take on the University of New England in the NCAA Tournament Second Round tomorrow at 5 p.m. The Nor'easters defeated Catholic University 54-50 in the other First-Round game on Friday night.  Admission to the game is set for $7 for adults, $4 for seniors/student/children. Official NCAA merchandise will be available for purchase.

On Friday night, FDU-Florham was locked in from long-range and buried 9-for-17 (52.9%) from behind the arc. Overall, the Devils converted at a 46.9 percent clip, while limiting the Wildcats to 1-for-16 (6.3%) from downtown and 32 percent overall.

Just under four minutes into play, leading 7-6, the Devils rattled off a 21-3 run that broke the game wide-open. Senior forward Kyra Dayon (Trenton, N.J.) began the spurt with a jumper off of a precise pass from Alyssa McDonough (Parlin, N.J.) and capped the run with a lay-up nearly 10 minutes later. At the conclusion, the Devils had built a 28-9 lead, which engaged the home crowd. Over that span, FDU-Florham's defense stood front and center, limiting the Wildcats to 1-for-9 shooting, while forcing 11 first-half turnovers.

At the conclusion of the opening stanza, the defending champions held a comfortable 44-15 cushion. Brown finished one rebound shy of a double-double and only missed one shot with 14 points and nine rebounds. Dayon, also a member of the All-Freedom Conference First Team, was equally hot and scored nine points on 4-for-5 shooting. The senior standout finished with 11 points and four rebounds in her 25 minutes of action

Johnson and Wales' leading scorer, Bobbie Whitehead, led the Wildcats (19-10) with six points at intermission but was held scoreless in the second stanza.

FDU-Florham maintained control for the duration of the second half and used an early 12-2 run to deter any chance of a Wildcats' comeback. The Devils' relentless defense frustrated the Wildcats from the outset, as the home team converted 22 turnovers into 23 points before the game's final horn.

Senior guard Kara Dayon (Trenton, N.J.) chipped in with nine points and six rebounds, while junior guard Alicia Cox (Vineland, N.J.) snagged  four steals and delighted the crowd with some crafty ball handling throughout the contest. 

For the Wildcats, Ashley Thompson  scored nine points and corralled seven boards, while point guard Raquel Pederzani finished with seven points and two assists in the loss. 

Watch tomorrow's NCAA Tournament Second Round Game here

Check out the Devils' tournament preview video here