WASHINGTON, D.C. - Morgan State entered tonight's contest fresh off a 12-day layoff and looking to break into the win column against Beltway rival Howard.
 
But that would not happen tonight, as James Carlton paced the Bison with a career-high 32 points and Howard posted a 64-48 victory over the Bears on Saturday night at The Burr Gymnasium.
 
It marked Howard's first win against Morgan State since Feb. 6, 2012 (L, 54-46), and the Bears' first loss at Burr Gymnasium since Feb. 27, 2006 (L, 72-59).
 
The Bison (11-10, 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) shot 57 percent (24-42) from the field and 72 percent from the stripe (13-18 FT), while holding the Bears to shooting 35 percent (18-52).
 
Carlton scored 18 of his game-high 32 points in the second half for the Bison. The senior converted 14 of his 17 shot attempts in an array of tough, contested jump shots. James Daniel III and James Miller added 11 points apiece.
 
Conrad Chambers scored 11 points off the bench to lead the Bears in scoring. Cedric Blossom had 10 and Rasean Simpson chipped in eight.
 
Blake Bozeman, the Bears' second leading scorer averaging 13 ppg, was held to 1 of 7 shooting and finished the game with 3 points.
 
Howard built a comfortable lead during the early going and a thunderous dunk by Carlton gave the Bison a 16-2 lead with just over 13 minutes left in the half. Howard never trailed in the game.
 
Morgan State (4-17, 2-5) never got much of a run going until Conrad Chambers checked into the ballgame toward the end of the first half.  The freshman guard hit a couple of free throws and buried a 3-pointer to help trim Howard's lead to 28-20 at the break.
 
Chambers split a pair of free throws to open scoring in the second half and cut Howard's lead to 28-21. It was the closest the Bears would come tonight.