Jackson was fouled in the final seconds of the game.
Boxscore
Bear Shots
BALTIMORE, Md. -- DeWayne Jackson scored 18 points, including the game-winning free throws with 15.5 seconds left, as Morgan State edged North Carolina A&T 68-66 Monday night.
“We are very, very fortunate, there's no doubt about it,” said Morgan State head coach Todd Bozeman about the game's finish. “Sometimes you got to have that type of game, but I'll take the win, because every win in Division I is not easy.”
The Bears (10-9, 6-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) also got a season-high 15 points from Larry Bastfield and 10 apiece from Ameer Ali and Aric Brooks.
Thomas Coleman had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Aggies (9-13, 4-4), but also committed the foul that sent Jackson to the line. Austin Witter added 10 points for North Carolina A&T and Nic Simpson, who normally averages 15, was held to nine.
The defending conference champion Bears spotted the Aggies the game's first nine points, but answered with an 11-0 run to lead 20-16. They led 31-26 at halftime, and extended the margin to 12 points on Rodney Stokes' layup with 16:13 left, making it 40-28.
Stokes was played big off the bench for the Bears and finished with seven boards, four points and three blocks in 19 minutes.
“I feel that Rodney Stokes played like a grown man today,” Bozeman said. “This is what we have been waiting for from him since he got here. He and Gene Johnson played big for us tonight.”
“Victory feels real good, but I feel we shouldn't lose any games,” said Stokes, the team's only senior. “I wanted to help Kevin [Thompson] out. He wasn't playing as a result of foul trouble, and I knew I needed to step up.”
Johnson played valuable minutes for the Bears defensively and posted a couple of critical rebounds (4) and scored four points.
Kevin Thompson, the MEAC's Preseason Player of the Year who entered averaging 13 points and 8.7 rebounds, was limited by foul trouble and finished the game with 4 points and 5 rebounds in just 16 minutes of action.
“The good thing is we were able to win without him playing well,” explained Bozeman. “I knew we were capable of doing that, and that's a good thing.”
Six ties followed before Jackson's free throws settled the outcome.
The Bears will have five days to prepare for Florida A&M on Saturday, February 5 in Tallahassee, the game will tip-off at 6 p.m.
