Erin Hawkins knocked down a season-best four three-pointers in a losing effort.
Bethune-Cookman 79, Morgan State 68
BALTIMORE, Md. (February 8, 2010)-Demetria Frank scored a game-high 27 points on 8-of-11 shooting to lead three Lady Wildcats in double figures in scoring and helped visiting Bethune-Cookman overcome an 18-point first half deficit to defeat Morgan State 79-68, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Hill Field House on Monday night.
Frank, who scored 17 of her points in the second half, also connected on 10-of-13 from the free throw line, added eight rebounds and had a team-high three steals for the Lady Wildcats, who handed Morgan State its first home loss of the season.
Sarah Bolden recorded a double-double with 14 points and added a team-high 12 rebounds, while Euneshia Proctor chipped in with 10 points for Bethune-Cookman, which improved to 12-10 overall, 7-3 MEAC.
Morgan State (11-11, 7-3 MEAC) was led by Corin Adams, who scored a team-high 21 points and Erin Hawkins added 13 points. Kristina Rosario came off the bench and pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds for Morgan State, which after winning a season-high five games, has now lost two of its last three contests.
The loss also dropped Morgan State out of sole possession of second-place and into a four-way tie for second-place in the league standings with Bethune-Cookman, Hampton and Howard all seeded infront of the Lady Bears.
The Lady Bears, who fell to 4-1 this season at home, scored the game's first six points and had built a 15-5 lead, just six minutes into the game. Morgan State had increased its advantage to as much as 18 points (35-17) with 3:36 remaining in the opening half, before Bethune-Cookman began to mount its comeback.
Bethune-Cookman closed out the half on a 13-4 run, including a 7-0 spurt over the last two minutes of the half, which was capped off by a three-pointer by Frank at the buzzer, to pull the guests within, 39-30 at the break.
Adams began the second half with a layup to give the Lady Bears a 41-30 cushion, but the Lady Wildcats countered with a 13-1 run to take their first lead of the game at 43-42 with 14:49 left.
Morgan State would reclaim the lead one last time at 48-46 on a three-pointer by Hawkins with 11:57 left, before the guests took control of the game. A 10-3 run by the Lady Wildcats did Morgan State in, giving the guests a 77-65 lead with 26 seconds remaining.
Bethune-Cookman, which shot 36 free throws, connected on 23 of them, including 14-of-18 in the second half. The 36 free throw attempts were the most by an opponent this season, surpassing the 34 attempts by Troy (1/27). Morgan State shot 12-of-19 from the charity stripe.
The Lady Bears return to action this Saturday, Feb. 13, when they play host to Winston-Salem State. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. at Hill Field House.
