Theresa Davis grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to reach the 500-rebound plateau for her career.
Missouri State 66, Morgan State 39
BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 21, 2010)-Christiana Shorter scored 10 of her game-high 16 points in the first half and added a game-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double and lead visiting Missouri State to a 66-39 non-conference victory over Morgan State on Tuesday evening at Hill Field House.
Casey Garrison added 14 points and Jasmine Malone contributed 10 points for the visiting Lady Bears, who rebounded from a loss at No. 20 Georgetown on Sunday and completed their three-game road swing to the East Coast with a 2-1 mark. Both of Missouri State's wins would come in Baltimore against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opposition in Coppin State and Morgan State.
The loss was extremely devastating and disappointing for Morgan State, which suffered its second consecutive home loss and went just 1-3 during its four-game homestand. A year ago Morgan State went 9-1 at Hill Field House and in the five home contests played this season, the Lady Bears have already lost three times. The 39 points scored was the lowest scoring output at Hill Field House by a Donald Beasley coached Morgan State team since a 42-40 victory over Delaware State on Jan. 8, 2007.
Morgan State (5-5), which last played 16 days ago, showed the signs of a squad that had been away from live game speed competition for a while. The Lady Bears shot a season-low 19 percent (14-of-72), including 4-for-24 (16.7 percent) from three-point range.
The host Lady Bears came out slow and lethargic as the visiting Lady Bears jumped out to an 11-2 lead, before Morgan State countered with the next seven points in the midst of a 14-4 spurt. Dakia Manning capped off the run with a basket to give the host Lady Bears their first lead of the game at 16-15.
Morgan State held a 20-17 advantage after a basket by Dodson with 6:38 left to play, but Missouri State would hold the Lady Bears scoreless for the remainder of the half, while outscoring the hosts, 17-0 to take a commanding 34-20 halftime lead.
Raquelle Jones scored Morgan's first points of the second half to cut the deficit to 36-22 with 15:17 to play. Jones' basket was the first points of her career and ended a 19-0 run by Missouri State which began in the first half.
But the second half would be much of the same, as Missouri State used a 13-2 run to begin the half and held the hosts scoreless for nine minutes to extend its lead to 47-22 with 11:08 left to play. Missouri State would hold its largest lead of the contest of 29 points (62-33), following a free throw by Lacey Boshe with 3:19 left in the game.
Missouri State (9-3) out rebounded Morgan State by 14 boards (55-41) with Shorter's 10 rebounds leading the way and Edie Whitney adding eight. The visiting Lady Bears also recorded 10 blocked shots with Tia Mays collecting six of them.
Morgan State was led by Briana Coardes, who came off the bench to score a team-high six points, while going 2-for-2 from the field, all from three-point range in four minutes of play. Manning also finished with six points in a reserve role and Dodson tallied six points. #Jamesia (Jamie) Smith#, making her first appearance as a Lady Bear, added five points. Theresa Davis led Morgan State with a team-high nine rebounds, giving her 502 for her career to reach the 500-rebounds plateau.
The Lady Bears return to action next week when they take part in the Miami Holiday Classic (Dec. 28-30) in Coral Gables, Fla. Morgan State opens up against George Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 29 then takes on host Miami on Thursday.
