Morgan State University Athletics

DOVER, Del. (Feb. 24, 2014)-The Morgan State Lady Bears had a lot to celebrate, following last Wednesday's home victory over crosstown rival Coppin State. For starters, the win ended a season-long 15-game winning streak, which spanned over 63 days since the Lady Bears defeated local foe Towson at Hill Field House (2/18/13).
 
Second, the win also served as the team's first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) victory of the season in 12 games, and third, it also ended what was a seven-game losing skid at home. But there was still one thing the Coppin State win couldn't put an end to, Morgan State's winless record on the road this season. 
 
The Lady Bears entered this evening's MEAC game against Delaware State winless in their previous 14 road games this season. In fact the Lady Bears hadn't won a road contest since last season's visit to Dover, Del., a 69-67 overtime victory on Feb. 18, 2013 in the road finale.
 
Behind a game-high 20 points from junior Tracey Carrington and freshman Ivy Harrington, who came off the bench to score a career-high 18 points, the Lady Bears defeated host Delaware State, 65-54 on Monday evening in a MEAC game at Memorial Hall.
 
"I always set goals for myself and it's a good feeling," said Harrington of her career-high 18-point performance against Delaware State. "I always try to get in double digits around 10 or 12 points, but exceeding my expectation for 18 points is crazy, especially being a freshman. It feels awesome."
 
Added Harrington, "knowing that last year's road game here was the last time we got a road win, it just makes the fact that winning our first road game here now, all the more sweeter."
 
The win put an end to what had been a full year and six days, since the Lady Bears last won a regular season road game at this very place. It was also the first two-game winning streak this season for Morgan State.      
 
Carrington connected on 10-of-12 free throws pulled down seven rebounds and had a team-high four assists and a team-high two steals. Harrington, who shot a career-high eight field goals on 18 attempts, also added six rebounds and three assists for the Lady Bears. Sophomore Simone Sampson had another solid effort for Morgan State, as she was a rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
"In the beginning of the season I did notice an improvement in my game. I was attacking more and I was more aggressive," said Harrington. "I did fall into a plateau where I wasn't scoring as much and alleviating as much pressure for Tracey [Carrington]. But I will say since I haven't been starting, I've had a chance to sit back and observe what's happening on the court and listen to what Coach Beasley is telling me, and I feel as if I'm producing a lot more and it feels great."
 
Delaware State (7-19, 2-12 MEAC) was led by Raven Bankston, who finished with a game-high 20 points. Bankston, who was coming off a career-high 36-point performance on Saturday against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, shot 8-of-19 from the field and added four rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Tylinn Carter finished with 15 points and eight rebounds for the Hornets, who have now lost seven of their past eight games.
 
The Lady Bears (4-22, 2-11 MEAC) used a 10-3 spurt to begin the second half to take a 46-32 lead and held a 56-42 cushion with 6:17 to play after a jumper by Dinah Jones.
 
The Hornets countered with an 8-2 run to pull within 50-58 with 1:30 to play, but Morgan State countered with a 6-0 run by Carrington, with all of them coming from the free throw line to extend the Lady Bears' advantage to 64-50 with 34 seconds left in the game.
Carrington started off the game scoring back to back baskets to give the Lady Bears an early 6-2 lead less than three minutes into the game and move her into 12^th-place all-time in scoring at Morgan State.
 
A 13-4 run by the guests, capped off by a three-pointer from N'Kayah Kersey gave the host Hornets a 15-10 lead with 11:23 remaining in the first half.
 
Morgan State trailed 23-20, before going on a 10-0 spurt in just over four minutes to take a 30-23 lead with 3:44 to play. Danielle Robinson triggered the run for the Lady Bears by connecting on a three-pointer from the left elbow to even the score at 23 all. After back-to-back baskets by Sampson, Harrington followed up with a steal and layup to make it a 30-23 lead for the guests.
 
Bankston ended the run by Morgan State with a deep three-pointer to cut the Lady Bears' advantage to 30-26 with 3:22 left. The Hornets would not get any closer and Morgan State took a 36-29 lead into the locker room.
 
The Lady Bears held a 38-32 rebounding advantage over Delaware State for the game. It was just the fourth time that Morgan State has outrebounded an opponent this season.
 
Morgan State returns home for its final two contests of the season at Hill Field House. The Lady Bears will square off against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m., before closing out the home slate on Monday, March 3 against Florida A&M at 5:30 p.m.