Moneshia Davis (30) and Brittany Noel (10) each scored a team-high eight points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds against North Carolina Central.
BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 17, 2011)-Monday night's non-conference game between Morgan State and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) newcomer North Carolina Central was anything but an offensive explosion or a defensive struggle.
The two teams alone shot a combined 12-for-59 in the first half and were 2-for-16 from three-point range. In the end, behind a team-high eight points from Moneshia Davis and Brittany Noel, host Morgan State defeated North Carolina Central, 44-42 at Hill Field House.
Noel and Davis also tallied a team-high seven rebounds apiece and Davis finished with a game-high four blocks, to help Morgan State improve to 5-1 all-time against North Carolina Central. The win also helped the Lady Bears conclude their four-game homestand with a 3-1 mark.
Jori Nwachukwu tallied a double-double with a game-high 12 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds, while Blaire Houston chipped in with 11 points to lead visiting North Carolina Central, but it wasn't enough.
Nwachukwu, who scored 10 of her points in the first half, before being hindered by foul trouble, finished 2-for 15 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line for the Lady Eagles, who fell to 2-14 on the season and dropped their seventh straight game.
Both teams struggled throughout the game offensively. Morgan State shot 29 percent (17-of-57), including 26 percent (8-of-30) in the first half, while NCCU connected on 14-of-59 (23 percent) for the game and 13 percent (4-for-29) in the first half. The host Lady Bears went 4-for-17 (23 percent) from three-point range and NCCU was 2-for-16 (12 percent).
The Lady Bears (9-7) used a mini 6-0 run, capped off with a three-pointer by Whitney Southerland to take their largest lead of the first half at 15-10 with 4:37 left in the period. NCCU countered with a 4-0 run with baskets by Nwachukwu and Houston, which accounted for the team's third and fourth field goals of the half and bring the Lady Eagles within 17-16 with 1:28 to go. Morgan State would hold a slim 19-16 lead at the intermission.
Morgan State opened up its largest lead of the game (11 points) after a free throw by Theresa Davis (seven points, six rebounds) with 7:54 left to play, making it a 37-25 game.
However, NCCU was not done. The visiting Lady Eagles used a 15-3 spurt to take the lead following a three-pointer by Shanise Blanks from the left wing with 1:25 left to play, giving NCCU a 40-39 lead. Noel, then countered with a 2hree-pointer from the right elbow with 53 seconds remaining to put Morgan State up for good. Brittany Dodson would connect on 2-of-4 free throws to secure the victory for the Lady Bears.
Brittney Noel answered with a trey from the right elbow to put Morgan back infront 42-40. Dodson would add a free throw and Central scored on a layup to cut the deficit to 43-42. Dodson would again hit the front end of a 1-and-1 to make it 44-42 game.
Morgan State returns to MEAC action on Saturday, Jan. 17, when it travels to Dover, Del., to take on the Hornets of Delaware State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Memorial Hall.
