Aaries Reed scored a career-high 11 points in her first career start on Friday against Georgia Southern.
Boxscore
RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 28, 2007)-Corin Adams scored 14 of her game-high 18 points in the second half, including an 8-of-10 performance from the free throw line and Aaries Reed, who made her first career start, added a career-high 11 points, as Morgan State defeated Georgia Southern, 64-58, in the consolation game of the VCU Holiday Classic on Friday evening at the Siegel Center.
Coming off a slow start the previous night against host Virginia Commonwealth, Morgan State head coach Donald Beasley decided to shake things up, by inserting reserves Shalane Price, Phylicia Jones and Reed into the starting lineup along with Britney Griffin and Adams. The change provided a spark, as the Lady Bears jumped out to a 16-6 lead, following a layup by Jones with 14:40 left in the opening half.
Shortly after, Beasley would insert the original starting lineup, and Georgia Southern would go on a 30-10 run to take a 36-26 lead into the lockerroom.
Morgan State (6-3) would slowly cut into the 10-point deficit and reclaimed the lead at 42-41 on a layup with 12:44 remaining in the contest. Danielle Scott’s jumper would tie the score at 44 all, but the Eagles would respond with a 6-0 run to take a 50-44 lead.
The Lady Bears would again chip into Georgia Southern’s lead, this time by hitting eight straight free throws, the last two coming from Adams, making it a 55-52 game with 3:09 left. On the ensuing possession, Adams would connect on a deep three-pointer from the left elbow, to tie the score at 55.
Georgia Southern (5-8), would get a free throw from reserve Ashley Rivens, before Morgan’s Tamara Rogers completed a three-point play (her only points of the game) to give the Lady Bears the lead for good at 58-56 with 1:54 remaining. Brittany Dodson capped off the victory with four straight free throws to secure the win.
Morgan State, which entered the weekend leading the nation in steals (15.3) per game, recorded 10, with Jones and Adams totaling a game-high three steals each. The Lady Bears, who shot 83 percent from the free throw line for the game, connected on 19-of-22 in the second half
Jessica Geiger led Georgia Southern with 12 points, while Rivens added nine points. Shawnda Atwood grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Eagles.
The Lady Bears travel to Queens, N.Y., for a non-conference game this Sunday, Dec. 29, against St. John’s at 2 p.m.
