Corin "Tiny" Adams tied her career high with 32 points in Saturday's win at South Carolina State.
Morgan State 82, South Carolina State 75
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Jan. 16, 2010)-Morgan State regrouped from its disappointing 37-point loss at Hampton on Monday night by defeating host South Carolina State, following an 82-75 victory in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game on Saturday evening at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
Morgan State (6-9, 3-1 MEAC), which now trails in the series, 32-22, has won sixth straight over the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Bears' 3-1 conference mark is the program's best start since the 1999-2000 season.
Corin Adams quickly rebounded from her season-low nine-point performance Monday night at Hampton and scored 23 of her game-high and career-tying 32 points in the first half to lead four Morgan State players in double figures in scoring. Adams finished the game shooting 11-of-19 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Fellow starter Brittany Noel added 11 points. Kristina Rosario came off the bench to record a double-double with 11 points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while fellow reserve Erin Hawkins also scored 11 points.
Adams, who connected on her first three attempts from three-point range, finished the first half going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Adams also added a team-high five assists and a team-high three steals for the game, giving her 339 for her career, 17 shy of becoming the school's all-time leader.
Morgan State held a 22-18 lead with 11:43 to play in the first half following back-to-back baskets by South Carolina State's Paris Alston, before back-to-back three-pointers from DeKeisha Mathis and Hawkins, respectively, upped the Lady Bears lead to 10 points at 28-18.
The Lady Bears led 32-22, before Adams scored 14 straight points in part of a 23-17 Morgan State run over the final 8:55 of the half to give the guests a 53-39 lead at the intermission. Adams scored 17 of the team's 23 points during the run.
The 53-point first half is the most points scored in either half this season. It is also the most points scored in a half since a 50-point first half performance against Norfolk State in the opening round of the 2008 MEAC Tournament (3/11).
The Lady Bulldogs (5-10, 0-3 MEAC) scored the first six points of the second half to pull within 53-45 just a minute and a half into the second half.
Behind a pair of mini 5-0 runs by Morgan State, the Lady Bears twice upped their lead to 15 points with the last coming at 77-62 after a layup by Adams with 4:53 to play. S.C. State, however used a 13-2 spurt, capped off by two straight jumpers by Whitney Wiley to bring the Lady Bulldogs within 79-75 with 1:09 remaining.
Hawkins would connect on the first of two free throws and Adams added a fast break layup for the game's final score.
South Carolina State was led by Joi Walker, who came off the bench and finished with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, both team highs. Wiley added 13 points and Sophilia Hipps chipped in with 10 points.
The Lady Bears return to action on Monday, Jan. 18, when they visit the Lady Rams of Winston-Salem State in a non-conference match at 5:30 p.m. at the C.E. Gaines Center. The game will mark the final game of 14 straight road contests for Morgan State.
